It's a Bittersweet Life
by hiially
Summary: Three years after graduating from high school, Jade thought she'd never see Tori again. Then one night they run into each other and secrets from their past are exposed. What's going to happen when Tori isn't ready and runs off to New York leaving Jade to fall into the arms of someone else?
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Victorious or any of the characters! Some characters are my own, but ya know. The usual crew. I got nothing to do with them. Enjoy =)**

Life can be pretty strange sometimes. I never thought I'd see Tori Vega again after we graduated from high school. Then again, I never thought I'd find myself missing her either. And yet, there I was. Missing her. The last time I spoke to Beck, he said Tori was still in New York going to school.

It had been three years since graduation, and I kept catching my mind wandering to old memories of her, and wondering what she's up to. Or if she's thinking about me too.

I was bar tending, if there was any concern about what I had been doing. I took a semester off of school to work more and save up a bit of money. I live alone, but that's okay. It suits me better. Sure, it gets lonely at times, but I don't really mind. At least, I never use to. Now I just keep getting this lingering feeling that I'm missing out on something very important. But whenever that happens, I just pick up a few extra shifts at work. And maybe a girl at the bar. Only if she's the designated driver of her group. I'd give her my address and she'd come by once she did her good duty of carting around her drunk friends. There was never a repeat performance. The most interaction that any girl got after a night like that would be a smile and some light conversation the next time she came back to the bar with her friends.

The rest of the group kept in contact over time, considering the fact that we all stayed in L.A. with the exception of Tori. She was always so determined to get what she wanted and New York was what she wanted. I guess a part of me had been jealous. I wanted to be that thing. That's why I never bothered to see her before she left. Jealousy makes me bitter. I'm sure that came as no surprise.

What did come as a surprise was what happened one day while I was at work.

"Jade." My boss called to me, breaking me from my daydreaming.

I shook my head as I tried to rid my thoughts of that brown eyed girl, "Sorry Clint."

"Daydreaming about that girl again? Why don't you just fly out to New York and tell her? You've kept this bottled up for years. You're not going to be able to move on unless you get some kind of closure." He lectured as he wiped down the bar. We were prepping for opening, and I was doing a shit job. I looked at him through sad eyes. He was in his mid thirties, and he was actually a pretty attractive guy. I had the idea to set him and Cat up together, but I changed my mind when I realized he would probably feel like he was babysitting and that's just creepy.

"The fact that you know that shows that you know it isn't that simple." I said as I rolled my eyes, continuing to wipe down the glasses in the crate in front of me.

"It really shouldn't be much more difficult than that. Beck and Cat say the same thing."

"Oh my God. I cannot tell you how much I regret bringing those two in here." I droned dramatically.

Clint laughed as he stopped his cleaning and looked at me, "We all know you, Jade. We know how you can be. And we just want what's best for you. It's been three years and you are still pining over this girl. The only thing that makes sense is for you to get out there and get your girl, or close the door." He said with a shrug.

"Why do you care so much?" I asked as I picked up the crate of glasses and set them on the stack.

"Because when you mope like this, customers don't wanna bother you. So then I'm not making any money. And because let's face it, you've grown on me." He said playfully.

"Wow, thanks for making me sound like some kind of parasitic leech." I said. He looked at me with hard eyes before he realized that I wasn't being sarcastic.

"You're a weird kid, Jade." Clint said with a laugh.

And that was the end of it. A few minutes later, the bar opened up and patrons came pouring in. It was only a Thursday, but being so close to a couple college campuses, it would be expected to get pretty busy. I was thankful for it. It was one of those days that I just wanted to push away this thought of how badly I missed Vega so it wouldn't consume me.

Speaking of the devil, around midnight I noticed a relatively large group of girls come into the building. I rolled my eyes, already irritated with them and they hadn't even made it to the bar yet. I moved to the other end to tend to the group of three guys that were now viciously eyeing up the girls as they congregated around the other end.

"Jade?" A familiar voice froze my blood and damn near stopped my heart. I stopped what I was doing and turned slowly to look at the owner of the voice that had just shouted my name.

"Vega." I whispered before composing myself. I put on my typical smirk as I stood a little taller and slowly strutted over to her.

"Oh my God. I can't believe it's you!" She shrieked as she giggled.

"Live and in the flesh." I said simply as I shrugged. "What brings you here? I thought you were in New York?" I asked, trying to sound as disinterested as possible.

"It's my birthday!" She shouted as she starting dancing on her stool.

"Oh Christ." I said as I shook my head. "Well, here." I pulled out a shot glass and poured her one of our house shots. "Happy birthday, Vega." I said, giving her a wink. If I was lucky, she wouldn't remember this encounter at all in the morning.

"Do one with me!" She shouted as she slapped her hands on the counter. She looked at me with those big doe eyes and there was absolutely no way that I could say no. I pulled out another glass and mimicked my same motions. I had one in front of myself and one in front of her. We made eye contact before grabbing the glasses and downing them. I shuddered and shook my head as the liquid burned my throat.

"I'll be back later." I said as I moved down over to where Clint stood.

"Who's the girl?" He asked, nodding to where I just left.

"Fucking shit. Fucking, fucking shit." I said, slightly panicked.

"Wait. That's her?" Clint asked in disbelief.

"The one and only." I said, shaking my head.

The rest of the night went by as I poured her and her friends shots. Vega convinced me to take a few more with her, and around midnight, she had tried roping me into something else.

"Come dance with me, Jade. This is my favorite song." Vega whined as she pouted.

"I can't, Vega."

"But it's my birthday." She said, throwing a small fit. It was actually pretty adorable.

"Yeah, that excuse got me to take four shots with you, baby girl." I said as I shook my head.

"Puh-lease?"

"I can't leave the bar." I said, grasping at straws. Let's be honest, if I got on the floor with her, something stupid would most definitely happen.

"Sure you can. I've got this under control." Clint said as he stood next to me, arms crossed and a smug smile on his face. I looked at him, silently pleading for him to not make me do this.

"Yeah! He's got it under control!" Vega chimed excitedly.

"Have fun, Jade." Clint said, laughing as I gave him the dirtiest look I could muster as I walked around the bar. Vega jumped from her stood and grabbed my wrist, dragging me into the thick crowd of people dancing. Oh my God. Her body was so close to mine. Her hands slid up my sides and into my hair as she moved fluidly to the music. I definitely should have said no to those last three shots that I took with her, because I was feeling it. I allowed myself to relax as my hands slid into the back pockets of her jeans, pulling her body a little closer to mine.

Two songs passed by and the heat between us was driving me crazy. As the song faded into another, I took a step back as I tried to think of a way to excuse myself from the situation. Her hands didn't leave my body, preventing me from moving too far away, and suddenly I felt her warm breath on my neck and her moist lips pressed against my skin.

Oh God.

I grabbed her wrist and dragged her through the crowd until we reached the back hall where the restrooms were located. I couldn't believe I was going to do this. I opened the single-toilet bathroom, locking the door behind me once we were both in the room. She turned to face me, threading her fingers in my hair as her lips glued to mine.

This was actually happening. I had been waiting years for this to happen, far too scared to ever orchestrate it when we were in high school. My anger at myself got the best of me and I took it out on her. And yet, here we were. Three years later in the bathroom where I work, and her tongue is in my mouth.

This is the last thing I imagined happening when I woke up this morning.

She pulled her lips from mine as she breathed heavily, "I'm not straight, Jade."

"Okay." I answered simply, leaning back in for another kiss.

She complied, though she pulled back again shortly after, "I mean, I'm not completely gay, but I'm definitely not straight."

"Stop talking." I said, silencing her again with another heated kiss.

Her hands moved from my hair down to my waist and when I felt her cold fingertips against my flesh, I realized what was happening. I pushed her away and looked at her with wide eyes.

"Oh God." She said, and the next thing that happened was her spinning around and throwing up violently in the toilet.

"Happy birthday, Vega." I said with a chuckle. I held her hair back as she continued to wretch out her entire stomach contents.

"I think I'm done." She said finally, taking a square of toilet paper and wiping her mouth before throwing it into the bowl.

"Good." I said as I stood and turned on the faucet. She walked over to me and splashed cold water onto her face.

"That's an embarrassing way to reunite with an old friend." She said as she cupped her hands under the running water and drinking from it. She stood up and looked at me through the reflection in the mirror.

I smirked, "I'm not your friend, Vega."

A similar smile was on her face as I exited the bathroom and made my way out to the nearly empty bar. Christ, how long were we in there for?

"Jade." Clint said, giving me a knowing grin.

"Don't say a word." I said to him, giving him a warning glare. The group of girls that Tori came in with were standing by the edge of the bar, chatting with each other until I walked up to them, "You guys came with Tori, right?" I asked.

One of the girls, a brunette with bright green eyes, nodded, "Yeah."

"She, uh, she got sick. I'm just gonna take her home, okay?"

"Um, I mean, we don't know you." The girl said, looking uncomfortable.

"I went to high school with Tori." I said, rolling my eyes. As if I really needed to explain my credentials when it came to taking care of Vega. A slim arm suddenly appeared around my waist and I turned to see Vega standing there, smiling. She was still drunk.

"Jaaaaaaade." She said cheerfully, despite the fact that she sounded like she was going to die only ten minutes before.

"Oh, you're the Jade?" The brunette said, giving me a once-over. What the hell was that?

"Guilty." I said simply, giving her a skeptical expression.

"Okay. Take care of her." She said, surrendering her argument.

I walked Vega over to where Clint was, "Clint, I gotta go." I said, nodding to the drunken mess clinging onto me.

Clint laughed, "Get outta here. Ashlynn can take care of clean up tonight. She owes you one, anyway."

"Thank you." I said as he handed me my jacket and purse from underneath the bar. I lead Vega out to my car and buckled her in the passenger seat. I got into the car, started the ignition, and drove back to my apartment. It was going to be a trip getting her up the flight of stairs to the second level where my place was.

We pulled into the parking lot and I looked over to see Vega practically passed out. I poked her in the arm, "Wake up, Vega. We're home." I said softly.

"No." She grumbled into her arm as she tried to wave me off.

"You are not sleeping in my car." I ordered as I got out of car and walked over to the passenger side.

I opened the door and hoisted her out of the seat. She hadn't gained a pound since we graduated. Go figure. So I practically carried her from my car, up the stairs and into my apartment. She stumbled into the threshold, making a beeline to the hallway that lead to my bedroom. I laughed as I tossed my keys in the bowl I kept on the table next to the door.

I went into the kitchen and got a large glass of ice water for the drunk girl in my bedroom. Never would have thought this would be the first time Tori Vega crawled into bed with me.

A loud thud caused me to hurry from the kitchen into my room to see Vega lying on the floor, her shirt off and her pants stuck around her knees.

"What are you doing?" I asked with a laugh.

"My pants." She grumbled as she rolled around on the ground.

"Oh my God. Get up. Get up." I said, motioning for her to stand, which she did just to drop back onto my bed, her legs dangling off the side. I pulled the skin-tight denim down the long expanse of those tan legs and tossed them behind me. She crawled under the comforter of my queen sized bed and buried her face in my pillows.

I shook my head and laughed as I walked through my apartment, making sure all of my lights were off and the doors and windows were locked. Once I was certain that everything was secure, I went back into my bedroom, stripping down to my underwear and pulling an oversized T-shirt over my head. I placed the glass of ice water on the nightstand on Vega's side of the bed. I crawled into my usual side and the second my body hit the mattress, Vega was on me like an imprinted puppy. I allowed the cuddling, because let's face it, it was amazing.

"Jade?" Tori asked quietly, her voice slightly muffled by my shoulder.

"Hm?" I said with closed eyes.

"Did you really hate me in high school?" Her voice was soft and timid, as if she didn't want to ask but the desire for the answer was too strong.

"I think you always knew that I didn't."

"I always wanted to be with you. Back in high school." She slurred.

A soft chuckle escaped my lips. I pressed a kiss on her forehead before saying, "Go to sleep, Tori."

The next sound I heard was her soft snoring.

Yeah, life can be really strange sometimes.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm an incredibly light sleeper, so when the slightest disturbance is made, it will most likely rouse me from my slumber. That was exactly what happened the morning after that bizarre night. At first, the sheets moved slightly as the sleeping body beside me shifted, and then a frantic Vega ripped the sheets off of our bodies and stood up so quickly that she was already by my doorway by the time I sat up.

"What is wrong with you?" I grumbled as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

"What the hell, Jade?" She shrieked as she tried covering her body with her hands.

"What?" I asked as I stifled a yawn.

"Why am I _naked_?" She said finally dropping her arms to display her exposed body. As if I hadn't noticed.

"Well, Vega, you can see that you are clearly not completely naked. And you're in your underwear because drunk you apparently hates clothes." I said as I rolled my eyes and swung my legs over the side of my bed.

"You're not wearing pants!" She exclaimed as she pointed to my bare legs.

I gritted my teeth as I shuffled over to my dresser, "No. I'm not, Einstein. I don't sleep in pants. Jesus Christ, are you always this irritating in the morning?" I asked as I fished out a pair of shorts and pulled them on. I tossed her the pile of her clothes that were by my feet and she hastily dressed.

"Only when I don't remember the night before." She snapped.

I looked up at her with slightly wide eyes, "Oh shit." I sighed as I rubbed my eyes and shook my head. I should have anticipated this. "Come on, let's get something in your stomach." I said as I lead us out of my bedroom and into the kitchen.

"Can you tell me how I ended up here, Jade?" She asked impatiently from behind me as I pulled out eggs and a package of bacon from my fridge.

"Can you calm down?" I snapped back to her as I began preparing breakfast.

"No! Not really. I wake up, practically naked, in the bed of my high school enemy with no recollection of what happened. That doesn't happen a lot. So no, I can't calm down." She said.

I felt my heart sink a little at the thought of her remembering nothing. The shots, the dancing, the kissing. I should have prepared for this. I shouldn't have offered to take her home and take care of her. Why had I done that?

I turned and looked at her as the bacon sizzled in the pan on the stove, "What's the last thing you remember?" I asked as I rested my hands on the island counter that separated us.

"I remember...I remember getting to the bar. That was the second one that we had been to. I remember seeing...you and being really surprised." Vega explained as she stared intently at the granite countertop. If I wasn't mistaken, there was the smallest of smiles playing on her lips as she remembered when we first saw each other.

"Okay." I said as I turned back around to flip the bacon. I pulled out another pan and began making scrambled eggs. "Anything else?"

She sat silent for a long moment before speaking again, "I remember making you take a shot with me. And then..." She trailed off as I placed a plate of steaming hot eggs and bacon in front of her.

"Eat." I ordered, nodding to the meal in front of her. She dug in without another word, that concentrated look never leaving her face. We ate in silence, my eyes wandering over to her every so often. When her plate was practically clean she cleared her throat.

"So how did I end up here?" She asked, sounding slightly more calm than she had all morning.

I let out a sigh, "Well. You drank a little too much. I felt responsible since I was the one serving you, so I told your friends I'd take care of you." I answered simply. I really didn't want to be the one telling her about what happened in the bathroom. I wanted her to remember on her own.

She nodded, as if she were trying to reconstruct the memory in her head, "I remember throwing up in the bathroom..." She trailed off. Her eyes remained fixated on a point on the counter, and suddenly her eyebrows snapped up and she looked at me through wide eyes, "Oh my God. Jade. We..."

I looked at her, knowing guilt was written all over my face, "Yeah." I answered quietly.

She jumped up from her stool and looked at me incredulously, "We didn't...do that? Did we... Oh my God. Jade, I'm not gay or anything." She said frantically as she looked at me with panic in her eyes.

I slowly chewed the food in my mouth as I looked at her skeptically while she freaked out over nothing, "I know. You told me last night."

"You _remember_ and you weren't going to say anything?" There was that shriek again.

"Okay, you're gonna have to bring it down an octave for me. All right? And I was waiting to see what you all remembered before I dumped on you everything else. You kissed me. Granted, I was the one that took us to the bathroom, but you initiated it. Then you hurled. Then I took you back here where you passed out literally minutes after getting into my house. Jesus Christ, Vega, do you think I would've tried something?" I asked, insulted by what I felt she was insinuating.

She put a hand to her forehead and let out a sigh, "No. Of course not. I just. I gotta go." She said before making a beeline for my front door without so much as a goodbye.

I didn't stop her, still too shocked about everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Maybe I should have gone after her. Tried to do something romantic. After all, she did say that she had always wanted to be with me. Another utterly crazy thing that I was going to have to cope with. Instead, I stayed seated, staring at two dirty plates.

Slowly, I got up from my place at the counter and took our dishes to the sink. I moved like a robot, rinsing, scrubbing, rinsing, drying until all of the pots and plates were clean. Then I poured myself a cup of coffee, thank God for auto-brew, and sat back down. I had just seen the girl I had been swooning over for more than three years. More importantly, I had kissed her, and then slept in the same bed as her. Okay, that last part seems trivial, but it's a big deal for me. Oh, and how could I forget the part where she freaks out, recanting on what she told me the night prior, and then storming out of my apartment. What. A. Day. And it wasn't even ten o'clock yet.

I thought about what my next move should be. Should I pursue her and try to discuss further what happened last night? There were so many questions that I needed answers to now. She wanted to be with me back in high school. And I mean, she was the one who dragged me onto the dance floor and started rubbing up on me. I wondered why no one warned me that she was going to be home. Or more importantly, why none of the group had gone out with her. Maybe they had been at that first bar and just wanted to give Vega and I our own space. Still, that seems peculiar.

My phone buzzed on the counter next to where my mug sat and I looked at the lit screen.

_1 New Text Message: Cat Valentine  
__Coffee?_

I looked down to my now-cold cup of coffee and let out a sigh. I might as well. Maybe Cat could explain some of what was going on. After all, she had maintained contact with Vega once she moved to New York. I punched a quick reply agreeing with her request and making arrangements to meet at our usual café.

I walked back into my bedroom to change into something more appropriate for being out in public when I saw something lying on the floor next to my bed. It was a piece of paper. No, it was an envelope. With my curiosity piqued, I walked over and picked it up, slowly opening it and pulling out the card inside.

It was glittery and had a picture of a puppy on it wishing a happy birthday. I opened the card to see who it was from. Of course. I should have known it was Cat from the second I saw the glitter.

_Tori, I'm so sad you won't be coming home for your birthday! You really should give Jade a call. I know you're still mad at her about not saying goodbye before you left, but you know how she gets. Like when my brother eats too much cheese and gets crabby and starts throwing things. That's like Jade. Well, minus the cheese. Anyway, I hope your 21st is a blast and I can't wait for you to come home. I love you! -Cat_

A birthday card from Cat that explicitly says Tori wouldn't be coming home. Then what was she doing here, anyway? It seemed incredibly shady for Tori to be here without telling anyone. Maybe she changed her mind last minute and decide to surprise everyone. That's always an option.

I put the card back into the envelope and tucked it into my purse. I changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and a white tank top before making my way back into the living room. I tugged on a pair of boots, grabbed my phone and jacket, and was out the door. The café where I told Cat to meet me was only a few blocks away from my apartment, so I enjoyed the slight overcast and walked there, my head held high despite the constant self-doubt growing in my stomach.

Upon approaching the café, I watched a taxi pull up to the curb and a bubbly red head climb out and begin waving frantically to me. I couldn't fight the small smile playing on my lips as I walked up to Cat and embraced her in a hug.

"Jade. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!" Cat squealed when she finally released me. Since graduation, she had really matured. She moved out of her parents' house and into a two-bedroom apartment with Beck. It's cute. They were terrified when they first moved in together that I was going to go off the deep end and just lose my mind. But that really isn't my place anymore. Aside from the insane stories about her brother and the fact that she's still easily excited, she really doesn't act much like she did in high school.

"It's been a week, kid." I said with a laugh as I ushered her into the café. We ordered our drinks and sat down in a corner booth in the back, like always.

"How've you been?" Cat asked me with shining eyes as she sipped her latte.

I shrugged, "All right, I suppose. I guess I can't complain. How's your brother?"

"Oh, he's doing much better. My parents got him a hamster. He named it Hamster." Cat looked down at the table, "He isn't very creative when it comes to naming things."

This earned a small laugh from me as I shook my head. The strange stories about Cat's brother would never cease to amaze me.

"So I heard you took another girl home last night." Cat said idly as she gave me an innocent glance.

"How could you... Oh my God. You two _text_?" I asked in disbelief. Cat's face flushed as her hands shot up in surrender.

"No! Sometimes. Okay, yes. He texted me last night saying you took another girl home and that I should ask you about her."

"So that's why you invited me for coffee today? Not because you're my best friend and haven't seen me, but because my _boss_ was gossiping to you about my sex life?"

"Jade! That isn't fair!" Cat argued.

"How come you didn't tell me that Tori was home?" I asked, cutting her off from defending her actions any more.

She stopped mid-sentence as she comprehended what I had just asked. "I didn't..." Suddenly her eyes grew wide and her mouth made an O-shape as she looked at me with shock, "_Tori_ was the girl you brought home?" She shouted.

"Jesus, keep it down. I don't need the entire block to know. And yeah, I took her home. But what you're thinking happened, didn't happen, so get your head out of the gutter." I said, pointing at her accusingly.

"Well, what did?" Cat asked impatiently.

I let out a sigh and explained to her the entire situation. I watched as her expressions changed throughout the entire story. Shock, disbelief, excitement, and frustration were a few that I could accurately describe.

"And then she freaked out and stormed out of my apartment." I finished, shaking my head as I laughed cynically, "I should have figured it was too good to be true."

"Well, don't say that, Jadey. You know they say a drunk mind speaks a sober heart." Cat pointed out as she gave me a look, "Have you tried talking to her since?"

"And what exactly am I supposed to say? _Hey Tor, sorry about last night. By the way, I've been in love with you since we were in high school_? I don't think so." I said, shaking my head.

"Maybe that's exactly what you need to say!" Cat exclaimed. "You should call her and try to talk to her! Do it! Right now!" Cat ordered as she snatched my phone from next to my mug.

"Cat, stop. No!" I said as I tried to grab it back. She was too quick and had already begun dialing Tori's number, holding it to her ear until it started ringing before handing it back to me. There was no turning back.

I could feel my face turning a vibrant red as I pressed the phone against my ear. It rang four times before I got an answer.

"H-hello?" A nervous Vega spoke softly into the receiver.

"Vega." I stated.

I heard an audible sigh come from her end, "Yes, Jade?"

"Can we...can we talk? About last night?" I asked, hating how nervous I sounded.

"There really isn't anything to talk about." She replied shortly.

I rolled my eyes, "Look, can I just come over? There's something that I need to say to you whether or not you feel like talking."

A sigh came through the receiver, "I'm at the airport, Jade. I'm going back to New York today. There really is no point. I'm sorry. Last night shouldn't have happened." _Click._ I looked at my phone in disbelief before setting it back on the table. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes as I stared into the empty contents of my mug.

"That does not look good." Cat commented.

"No shit." I said with a snort.

"Oh, Jade. She's being dumb. Just give her some time. You know, she's probably embarrassed about the way things happened last night. It's a lot to take in."

I shook my head, "It doesn't really matter, Cat. She made her decision when she walked out my door this morning. Look, I have to work tonight. You and Beck should come in. Cheer me up so Clint doesn't yell at me for moping around." I said as a poor attempt at a joke.

Cat looked at me with sympathetic eyes as she nodded. I stood from my seat and slung my bag over my shoulder, "I'll see you tonight, Jadey." She called to me and I gave her a wave over my head as I exited the café.

I couldn't help moping around my apartment until it was time for me to get ready for work. But I did allow my misery to make me want to look as good as possible. I hated to admit it, but I was going to be on the prowl. Not in a predator way. That makes me sound creepy. But in the way that I was going to find a rebound in my usual way. Sober and willing. I dressed myself in white leather leggings and a loose-fitting black tank top that exposed a decent amount of cleavage. My shoes were just a pair of black boots with a very small heel. Regardless of wanting to look good, I was going to be on my feet for hours running up and down the length of the bar. Not worth the pain of any kind of heel.

When I walked into the bar at ten for the start of my shift, I saw Clint already mixing drinks for the early birds. I walked behind the bar and patted him on the shoulder as I passed into the back room to put my bag away.

"I'm sorry about what happened, Jade." He said as he gave me a hug.

"Jesus Christ, _stop_ texting my best friend!" I playfully exclaimed as I walked away.

"You started this!"

"And I regret it!" I shouted back to him, laughing over the music that was playing.

Beck and Cat made their way in around midnight, and as I made them drinks we chatted lightly about the situation with Vega.

"I just can't believe she would come home and not tell any of us." Beck said, obviously hurt.

"Yeah, well she wasn't even with anyone that we know. I think it was her New York friends." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Why come here, though?" Cat asked.

"What do you mean?" I looked at her as I wiped down the portion of the bar in front of them.

"I mean, this isn't exactly the hottest bar in our neighborhood. If she was going to show her friends our city, don't you think she would have taken them somewhere better?" Cat reasoned.

I thought about it for a moment. She was right. This bar was more of a hole-in-the-wall where you think it's a gem if you're into that kind of thing. It was packed on the weekends, but it was always the same crowd and definitely didn't attract tourists.

"Why do you think she came here then?" Beck asked as he drank his beer.

Cat gave me a purposeful look before smirking and shrugging, "Oh, I don't know."

"What? You're saying she came here because of me?" I asked in disbelief as I poured a beer for another customer, "How could she know that I even work here? I started after she left and up until last night I hadn't spoken to her since graduation."

Cat looked guilty.

"Cat..." I said in a warning tone.

"I mean, obviously you've been brought up in conversation. She's asked how you've been doing." Cat said defensively.

"So you want me to believe she brought her friends here to my bar to see me?" I asked skeptically.

"I think it's a possibility." Cat said.

"I think it's a load of bull shit." I said as I rolled my eyes. Two seats away from where Beck and Cat were seated, a girl slid onto the stool and caught my attention.

She was gorgeous. Long, dark hair and porcelain skin. She gave me a smile and I instantly turned my charm on.

"What can I get for you?" I said with a tilted grin as I took a step over by her, now ignoring my friends.

"Just a white soda." She answered simply.

"Got roped into being the designated driver?" I asked as I pulled a glass of ice and the soda hose, filling it with soda.

"I offer, usually." She answered as she accepted the glass I handed her. She moved to grab money out of her pocket but I waved her off.

"It's on me." I said flirtatiously, giving her a small wink.

She bit down gently on her lip and I watched as her eyes slowly slid up and down my body, "Thanks."

And then she was swallowed back by the crowd.

"Uh oh. I know that look." Beck said cautiously.

"What?" I snapped.

"That's your bobcat smile." Beck commented.

"My what?"

"Your bobcat smile. Your predator, I've-just-found-my-prey smile."

"God, you make me sound like an animal." I said, rolling my eyes.

"You are." Both Cat and Beck said at the same time.

I looked at both of them, feigning irritation as I walked away and tended to the other end of the bar, though I was still within earshot of the two of them.

"What about Tori? You know, the girl we were just talking about?" Beck asked sarcastically.

"You mean the girl who lied to you guys, completely played me, and stormed out without any kind of explanation?" I asked, ticking off all of the reasons why I didn't care about what Tori would think of my actions tonight.

"Yes." Beck nodded.

"What about her?" I asked rhetorically. Beck and Cat exchanged looks and then both made motions of surrender. Cat gave me an understanding look of sadness.

About an hour had passed by and Beck and Cat both left. I was beginning to think I wouldn't see that mystery girl again. Just as the thought crossed my mind, who else would take a seat in front of me but that brown-eyed beauty.

"Back again?" I asked playfully.

"I suppose so. Drunk girls are almost impossible to get out of a bar, unless you promise cheap tacos." She said as she laughed and rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Yeah, but they aren't nearly as easy to pick up as the sober girls." I said casually, tossing in a wink when she looked up at me coyly.

"If I wasn't mistaken, I'd think you were calling me easy." She said with a smirk.

"I'm not calling you anything but your name, which is..."

"Leila Fitzpatrick." She said as she extended her hand out to me. I shook it gently.

"Jade." I said simply.

"No last name?"

"I don't usually give that out until the second date." I said, flirting shamelessly.

"Are you coming on to me, Jade?" She asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

I gave a simple shrug.

"What makes you so sure I swing that way?" She leaned forward, her elbows on the counter.

I leaned in as well, "I saw you checking out my friend. The red head. Subtlety isn't your strong suit." I said, wrinkling my nose playfully.

A small blush crept up on her cheeks as she nodded her head, clearly understanding she was caught in the act, "Guilty."

I let out a loud laugh, "If you're interested, once you're finished playing Taxi, you're more than welcome to come over to my place for a drink." I offered flirtatiously as I gently stroked the back of her hand.

She smiled and took my hand, placing it back on the table, "I'm not going to be like those other girls, Jade."

Holy shit. Was I getting shot down?

"I'm counting on that, actually." I said smoothly.

She looked at me as if she hadn't been anticipating that kind of reaction from me. Before she could say anything else, a relatively drunk girl stumbled up behind her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Leila, we're ready to go. We want tacos!" The other girl cooed into her ear.

Leila looked at me slightly apologetically as she helped support her drunk friend, "All right. I'll meet you guys by the door, okay?" She instructed as if she were talking to a child. The girl nodded and dutifully followed Leila's orders.

"I guess that's your cue." I said as I grabbed a few empty glasses from the seats next to where she sat.

"I guess so." She said, though she seemed reluctant to leave. I gave her a skeptical look and a slightly suggestive smile. She gave me a small wave before finally stepping away from the bar and heading towards the door.

"So, I didn't see the infamous address drop. Did Jade West finally get turned down?" Clint came up beside me.

I gave him a sideways glance, "I didn't get turned down."

"Well, then what happened?" Clint asked as he began the closing work.

"I don't really know, but I definitely don't feel like I got turned down." I said, my eyes never leaving the door of the bar, wondering when I'd see her again.

Clint and I began shutting down the bar as the final stragglers made their way out of the building. Once the floors had been mopped, the bathrooms completely cleaned - though I denied doing that, the fear of being bombarded with the memories of the night before with Vega keeping me from wanting to go anywhere near it - and all of the glasses washed and put away, Clint and I shut down the lights and locked up. We were walking through the parking lot when I saw an unfamiliar car. One that didn't belong to Clint or myself. A tall, lithe figure was sitting on the trunk, looking in our direction. As we got closer, I saw under the streetlight that it was someone I really hadn't thought I'd be seeing again so soon.

"You changed your mind." I said as I approached Leila.

She gave me a smirk, "No. I know what you had in mind. I'm willing to make a compromise."

"A compromise, huh?" I said as I crossed my arms and cocked my head to the side.

"There's a little diner a few blocks from here. It's open twenty-four hours."

"I'm familiar with the place." I replied.

"Lemme buy you a coffee." She offered as she nodded back to her car.

"That would be...oddly refreshing." I smiled. She hopped off of the trunk of her car and made her way to the driver's side. I walked over to the passenger door and pulled my phone out of my jacket pocket, realizing I hadn't checked it all night.

_1 Missed Call: Tori Vega_

_ 1 New Text Message: Cat Valentine  
__Have fun tonight, Jadey! I'll be anticipating our lunch date tomorrow ;)_

I smirked as I typed a quick message before climbing into the car:

_STOP TEXTING MY BOSS. JESUS CHRIST._

I silenced my phone, not even bothering to think about the fact that Vega had called me, and stuffed it into my pocket as I buckled myself in. It wasn't going to be the rebound I had anticipated, but maybe it was time for a change of pace.

_**Et voila!**_** An introduction of an OC! Reviews are welcome. Enjoy, kids. =)**


	3. Chapter 3

"So how was it?" Cat asked excitedly as she ate her salad. I had woken up at noon to four missed calls and two voicemails from her, demanding I call her the instant I wake up. I obeyed, and then I found myself being grilled about the night before over a plate of linguine.

"It was...amazing." I said, taking a moment as I tried to think of a way to accurately describe the previous night. Honestly, amazing doesn't even come close to explaining how last night went.

"Are you actually going to make me ask for details?" Cat asked with a raised brow as she set her fork down.

I smirked, sensing her irritation, "We went to that 24-hour diner, the one we used to go to in high school, remember?" I asked, though I didn't wait for an answer before continuing, "We got coffee and just...talked. It was incredible. We have so much in common. I couldn't believe it."

"Does she love The Scissoring?" Cat asked comically.

I rolled my eyes, "She actually hates horror movies all together." I let out a sigh, "It was just...really nice."

Cat sat for a minute, clearly waiting for me to continue talking. When she got no continuation, she spoke, "That was it?"

I nodded with a smile, "We were there until like five or something. Then she dropped me off at my car and gave me her number."

Cat looked at me as if she was actually looking at a unicorn or something equally fascinating, "So what now?" She asked.

"It's my night off. I was going to maybe take her out to dinner or something." I said, shrugging.

Cat sat back in the booth and set out a slow whistle, "Wow. This is a nice change of pace for you."

"I guess you could say that." I said with a smile.

We ate and made idle chit chat until I remembered something strange about the night before, "So Tori called me last night."

Cat's eyes grew wide she she dropped her fork, "What did she have to say for herself?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. I missed the call. Haven't called her back."

"Are you going to?" Cat inquired.

"Haven't decided yet." I answered simply. Cat gave me a skeptical look, "What could she possibly have to say that could make up for what she did?"

"That she's sorry?" Cat offered.

I shook my head, looking down at my now-empty plate, "Has she even bothered talking to you? To Beck? What about Andre?" I asked. Cat shook her head after every person I listed off.

"I just..." Cat let out a disgruntled sigh, "This all makes no sense."

"I'm fully aware."

"I still think that you should give her a call." She spoke quietly, clearly anticipating my reaction. I looked at her incredulously, "Just hear her out, okay? She clearly came back for a reason! It wasn't just a happy accident that she wound up in your bar."

"Of all the gin joints in town..." I said softly.

"Exactly."

I shook my head as I pulled out my wallet to pay our bill. Cat attempted to protest, but I shook her off and handed our waiter my card before she even had a hand on her purse, "I'm not making any promises." I said, ignoring her pouting. She absolutely hated when I'd pay for her. It was something about her independence. I always rolled my eyes whenever she'd complain about it and told her she could pay for me next time and we'd call it even.

"Call me tomorrow, okay?" Cat asked as we walked out of the restaurant.

"Of course, Kit." I said as I playfully rolled my eyes.

"I'm expecting a play-by-play of the date and that phone call with Tori!" She said in a rather bossy tone.

"Neither of those are for sure, Cat." I said with a smirk.

"Leila's not going to say no unless she's crazy, and you're going to call Tori. Your curiosity always gets the best of you." Cat said knowingly.

I shook my head as I walked towards my apartment, "Whatever, Cat." I said as I waved her off over my shoulder.

I made it back to my apartment and tossed my purse onto my couch. My hand instantly went to the phone in my pocket as I thought about giving Tori a call. I wasn't really expecting much. I mean, I was kind of intrigued to see how this thing with Leila would play out. But how could I deny myself the knowledge of what Tori wanted to say?

Letting out a deep sigh, I dropped myself onto my couch and looked at Tori's name in my contact list. I gave myself a mental pep talk before pressing the call button and putting the phone to my ear.

It rang four times before she answered, "Hello?"

"Tori." I said, clearing my throat, "Hi."

"Jade? What...what do you want?" Tori asked nervously.

"I think I should be the one asking you that." I said slightly bitter, "You're the one that called me last night."

There was no mistaking the sharp intake of breath I heard over the line as silence ensued. I almost asked if she was still there until she finally spoke, "That must've been a butt-dial. Or something. I didn't call you. Look, Jade. I'm really busy, can we do this later?" She asked, her words sounding hurried.

I scoffed, "Of course we can. Butt-dial me some other time." I said snidely before hanging up without letting her get another word in. Fuck that. There's no way in hell she butt dialed me. That didn't even make sense.

I let myself simmer for a few minutes, and picked my phone up once again once my fire died down. My finger was now hovering over Leila's number as I thought about what I was doing.

It wasn't bad, was it? Granted, I had just got completely fucked over by the girl of my dreams and now I was about to ask out another girl. There wasn't much in-between time. But let's be honest, when the universe hands you a gift, it'd be rude to deny it. And that's how I saw Leila: a beautiful, green-eyed, insanely intelligent gift.

Anyway, it isn't like I was asking this girl to rent a U-haul and move on in. It was dinner. Simple as that.

Fuck it.

I hit call and put the phone up to my ear yet again. It rang three times before I heard a voice clearing and a husky, "Hey there."

A smirk easily found its way to my lips as I sat back in the couch and reveled in that voice, "Hi."

"What can I do for you on this fine day?" Leila asked playfully.

I hummed for a moment, "I know it's against the unwritten rules of dating, but I thought last night went so famously, I was just wondering if you would be interested in accompanying me to dinner tonight?" I asked, ignoring the nerves that were building in my stomach.

"You're right, that is against the rules." She cooed, and for a moment my heart fell, "Fuck it. You're cute enough, I can let it slide this time."

I chuckled, "Flattery will get you everywhere, Fitz."

"Nicknames now? I guess I'll have to wait until tonight before giving you one." She said.

"Can't wait. Text me your address and I'll pick you up around 7:30." I said smoothly. She agreed and we said our goodbyes and suddenly I was overwhelmed with what I had just done.

Fuck. I hadn't been on a proper date in years. Seriously, years. There was one girl that I was seeing rather steadily after graduation, but that fizzled out quite quickly. Not to mention she insisted on always being the one orchestrating all of our dates and everything else whenever we went out. So let's add something else to my panic: I hadn't taken anyone out on a proper date since...well, ever.

Fuck's sake. I groaned loudly as I made one final phone. I hit the speaker button and dropped my phone on my table as I slumped further into the couch.

"That didn't take long." I heard a giggle come through.

"Cat. I'm fucked. I'm genuinely, one hundred percent fucked."

"What's wrong?" She asked, her voice sounding alert and confused.

"I've never taken anyone on a date." I grumbled loud enough that she could hear.

A loud laugh erupted from her end of the phone line, "That's what you're worried about? Oh my God, Jade. I'm on my way." And before I could voice any sort of protest of needing in-person support, the line went dead and I was left alone with my thoughts.

Well, alone with my thoughts for five minutes before turning on my iPod dock and letting Florence + the Machine settle some of my nerves. Fifteen minutes later, there was a knocking at my door and I managed to drag myself from the sofa and over to the door, letting Cat inside.

"Okay, so I take it Leila said yes." Cat said with a smirk as she kicked off her shoes and walked over to the music dock, turning it down a few notches.

"She did indeed."

"Did you call Tori?" She asked as she sat on the sofa with her legs tucked underneath her.

"Let's not talk about that now. We've got more important things to worry about." I said vaguely as I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle.

Cat looked at me with a furrowed brow when I came back into the living room, "Okay...So what is your plan of action for tonight?"

"Fuck, I don't even know. Dinner? Maybe a walk through the park? Is that a good date idea?" I asked frantically, "I mean, should I take her to a movie? That just seems kind of impersonal."

Cat stood from her perch and walked over to me, placing her hands gently on my shoulders, "A nice, quiet dinner and a walk through the park sounds like the perfect date. Where are you going to take her?" Cat asked and let me go, I'm assuming once she thought I would self-combust.

"I was thinking Roscoe's? I mean, it isn't incredibly fancy, but it's a nice place." I said with a shrug.

"Fantastic!" Cat cheered with a clap and a small shriek, "This is adorable! My little Jadey all grown up! Beck will not believe me when I tell him you're actually going on a date!"

"Christ." I said, rolling my eyes as I walked into my bedroom.

"Oh! What are you going to wear?" Cat shrilled as she followed me and jumped in front of me before I could make it to my closet.

I paused and looked down at what I already had on, "What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?"

Cat stopped short and looked at me apologetically, "I mean. Nothing. I just thought you might want to wow her."

"I don't look like I could wow her in this?" I asked, somewhat insulted.

Cat bit her lip, realizing she wouldn't win this, "I think I can find something that'll make her blush when she sees you." She offered.

I rolled my eyes and sat on my bed as she rummaged through my wardrobe. I sat patiently, and somewhat bored, until my phone buzzed.

_1 New Message: Leila Fitzpatrick  
__I never asked where we're going. How should I dress?_

I smiled as I punched in a quick message:

_Not telling where we're going. Dress casual, but make sure you bring a jacket._

Roscoe's wasn't an incredibly swanky place. More of a locally owned restaurant with a killer burger and long islands to knock your socks off. Cat and I accidentally stumbled on it one day last summer after spending an early afternoon getting drunk at my bar. I set my phone back on my bed and returned my attention to Cat who had already laid out three different outfit choices. She sat staring at her work with her lip pulled in between her teeth. Her own ringing phone brought her out of her concentration as she pulled it from her jean pocket and looked at the screen.

"Whoa, who was it?" I asked, questioning the rather irritated look she adopted as she typed a quick message back to whoever it was and put it back in her pocket.

"No one." She said shortly before picking up one choice and tossing it on my lap, "Here. Try this one."

I gave her a curious stare as I stood and started to change. I slipped the black skinny jeans over my legs and hiked them up. I watched as Cat typed furiously on her phone as I pulled the shirt I had currently been wearing over my head and tossing it in the direction of my laundry bin. I took the gray racerback tank she picked out and pulled it on. Walking over to the full-length mirror I had, I tousled my hair and appraised Cat's choice. I had to admit, these jeans made my ass look fantastic and the top did everything right for my slimmer waist and slightly larger chest.

"You look like you're pleased." I heard Cat say from her place on my bed.

I turned around and gave her a grin, "I can't complain."

She smirked, "You look hot." She paused for a moment before jumping up and clapping her hands together, "Well, my work here is done. I gotta head out." She said as she exited my room and made her way to the living room.

"Wait, Cat. Who was texting you? You looked upset." I asked as I followed her.

"It was nothing. Don't worry about it. Just enjoy your date tonight, yeah? We'll talk tomorrow." She said giving me a smile and a warm hug.

I looked at her with confusion as I held the door open for her as she left, "Okay. See ya later, Kit." I said as she waved and walked down the hall towards the staircase.

Weird couldn't even begin to describe that interaction.

I lounged around my apartment flipping through magazines and watching TV to try to keep my attention away from the clock. I even booted up my laptop and began revising some of my old projects for novels. Though, I quickly grew irritated when I realized just how many 40-page starters I had that were all about fantasies I had of what mine and Tori's relationship would be like it if ever happened.

After what seemed like ages, seven o'clock finally came around and I was walking out of my apartment with a spring in my step that I hadn't remembered ever having, Cat's curious behavior far away from my consciousness. I flagged down a taxi and gave the driver Leila's address and sat back, willing the nerves away as I thought about how fantastic tonight could be.

We pulled up to her building and I shakily got out of the taxi and walked up to the door. I took a deep breath and pushed the buzzer for her room.

"Hello?" Her voice came crackling through the speaker.

"Fuck, I'm not early, am I?" I asked.

"Oh shit, Jade! No, sorry. I'm just running a little late. Let me put some pants on and I'll be right now." She said and I couldn't fight the blush that spread across my cheeks as I thought about her running around in her underwear. Fuck, stop it. It's our first date. I was caught up in just what the fuck was going on with me. I never got awkward or nervous when it came to women. That was just about the only thing that I was ever absolutely certain of. Confident was the only way I ever described myself when it came to dating. But here I was, clumsily fumbling with the zipper on my jacket as I waited for my date to appear. Which she did almost out of thin air.

"Fuck." I said under my breath as I looked at her. She had dark skinny jeans and a white V-neck shirt on with simple black heels so she was closer to my height. I realized on our coffee date that she was actually quite shorter than I was. She was wearing a gray fedora hat tilted slightly forward with her dark hair in loose curls. Her dark make up accentuated her green eyes as she gave me a smirk with those shiny pink lips. I felt myself blush.

"You look...fantastic." She breathed as she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

"You clean up nicely yourself." I said as I walked us back to the car.

We got back into the taxi and off we went to Roscoe's.

"You ever been?" I asked once I finally told her where we were going.

"No, I can't say I have." She said.

"How long have you been in the area?" I asked, surprised that someone her age hadn't heard of it. Apparently it was quite popular among the kids our age.

"A few years. I moved here from Wisconsin." She answered.

"Any particular reason?"

She shrugged, "Needed to get away."

I nodded, getting the feeling that it wasn't something she wanted to discuss further. I scanned my mind quickly for a new topic before things could get awkward. Thankfully, the driver informed us that we had arrived. I paid him the fare and got out, offering Leila my hand as she got to her feet.

"What a gentleman." She joked, throwing me a playful wink. I shook my head as I followed her inside of the restaurant.

"Jade!" Roscoe, the owner, called to me from the host stand.

"Roscoe." I said with a grin and awkwardly accepted the hug he gave me.

"I haven't seen you and your red headed friend in a while. Did that boy with the hair finally open his eyes and claim her for his own?" He asked, waggling his eyebrows at me.

I laughed genuinely, "I'm not too sure he's gotten his head out of his ass yet." I said jokingly as I passed a sideways glance to Leila. She was watching the entire interaction with amused eyes.

Roscoe finally led us to our table and left us with the menus.

"You're awfully popular." She joked as she scanned the list of burgers and other things.

"Something like that." I said nonchalantly.

We ordered our drinks and our food shortly after and conversation found us quite easily.

"So. The million dollar question." Leila said with shining eyes as she sipped her long island.

"Yeah? What's that?" I asked.

"What's your last name?"

I laughed, "I believe I said that's second date material."

"I consider this to be our second date." Leila said simply.

I narrowed my eyes, "Do you, now?"

"I did pay for your coffee last night."

I laughed again, "So coffee constitutes as a date?"

"I'd say so."

I leaned forward, "I'll humor you, since you let me break the rules by bringing you out tonight. It's West."

She looked at me blankly, "That's it? How anticlimactic." She said.

"What?"

"I was anticipating something embarrassing. Like Dahmer or Burgher."

I smiled, "I've gotta have that mysterious air about me."

"So what information do I have to wait until date four to find out?"

I thought for a moment, "My favorite ice cream."

Now it was her turn to laugh, "Seriously? What does that even matter?"

"Everything matters, Fitz." I said flatly.

The conversation had died at that point and suddenly we were left just looking at each other. That is, until my phone loudly started ringing from my bag.

"Oh fuck, I'm so sorry. That's so fucking rude of me." I said as I fumbled for the offending device.

"It's okay." Leila said with a chuckle.

I looked at the call screen and my heart just about stopped, "I'm sorry, I have to take this." I said as I excused myself from the table and made my way to the bathroom.

"Hello?" I answered once I was safely locked in the single-toilet bathroom.

"Jade." A familiar voice cooed.

"What the fuck do you want, Tori?" I snapped.

"To apologize. I was being an idiot." She said, her voice sounding breathy.

"Are you drunk right now?" I asked angrily.

"Fuck's sake, who gave her the phone back?" I heard a loud voice ask in the background.

"Jade, I think I love you." I heard Tori say loudly before she started cursing whoever had taken her phone.

"Hello?" A different voice asked.

"Yeah?" I said, not bothering to hide my irritation.

"Look, I'm sorry. She's a complete shit show right now. She's been going on and on about you all night."

"You're the girl from that night, then?" I asked.

"Yeah. Look, I really am sorry. She's been...I don't even fucking know." The girl said, sounding exhausted.

"Just take fucking care of her, will you?" I said harshly.

"Yeah. I'll have her call you tomorrow."

"Don't bother. I think we both know she won't." I said as I rolled my eyes.

The girl sighed, "I really am sorry, and I know she is too."

"Doesn't really matter, does it? Just...make sure she's safe, yeah?" I asked, sounding slightly less irritated. The girl agreed and we hung up and I made my way back to my date, trying my hardest not to seem deflated.

"What was that?" Leila asked innocently.

I shook my head, "Drunken friend stuff." I said, trying to sound bright.

Leila nodded, "I know how that goes."

The rest of the date went smoothly as I tucked away the conversation with Vega and her friend into the back of my mind. The walk was about as romantic as I could stomach. Walking through winding trails as the sun was setting with Leila's soft hand in mine. It was weird, and I was conflicted. One part of me felt like this could be the start of something great, and another part was wishing the hand in mine was a few shades tanner and attached to a certain Tori Vega. I pushed that thought away as Leila looked up at me with shining eyes once we made it back to her apartment building, having opted to just take advantage of the warm night instead of wasting cash on taxi fare.

"I had a really good time tonight." I said as I leaned against the doorframe.

"Me too." She replied, giving me a shy smile.

"I'll see you soon?" I asked, hoping my inflection didn't make me sound too desperate.

"I'm counting on it, actually." She said with a grin. We stood in an awkward limbo for a moment before I cleared my throat. She beat me to saying anything, "This is when you kiss me goodnight, Jade." She said, her eyes glinting.

I found myself blushing as I passed my tongue over my lips. Her eyes flickered down to my mouth and back up to my eyes before we both slowly leaned forward. I had anticipated just a brief, chaste kiss, but instead was met with her hand on the back of my neck and her tongue swiping across my lower lip. My hands were attracted to her hips like magnets as I pulled her closer. Before things could get too heated, I broke the kiss and looked at her with a slightly bemused expression.

"You may be all about chivalry, but I think I would have lost my mind if you didn't kiss me soon." She husked before giving me one final kiss and opening her door, "I'll see you, Jade."

"Yeah." I finally managed to croak out before she disappeared inside her building.

**I know a lot of people are never too keen on the idea of an OC getting in the way of an OTP, but I promise it'll be worth it! There's always gonna be a little Jori in there. Thanks for giving this a shot. Reviews are more than welcome, you guys are always so fantastic!**

**Until next time ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

"So let me get this straight," Cat started over lunch the day after my date with Leila, "this girl tells you that she isn't going to be like those other girls, but then gives you a pretty filthy goodnight kiss at the end of your first date? Kind of seems like mixed signals if you ask me."

I grimaced as I took a bite from my sandwich, "I fucking hate the way you use the word filthy. It makes it seem...dirty."

"Well, wasn't it?" Cat asked with a smirk.

"Things definitely could have gotten out of hand." I said with a mischievous smirk as I took a sip from my drink. Cat gave me a triumphant grin before returning her attention momentarily back to her panini.

"So when are you going to see her again?" Cat asked.

I let out a sigh, "I don't know. I was probably going to wait a couple of days. I felt weird enough asking her out the very next day after meeting her. I mean, I do work the next few nights so it isn't like I'll actually have time for anything. Is that bad? Should I at least call her and let her know I'm busy so she doesn't think I'm avoiding her? Or is that weird?"

Cat started laughing, which broke me from my rant, "Oh my God. You like her."

"No, I don't." I said, probably too hastily for the sake of my argument.

"Right." Cat said with a raised brow and a chuckle.

"I don't! I just... I don't want to seem too eager." I said with a shrug, hoping I seemed a bit more believable.

"Or too desperate for a distraction." Cat quipped.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked with narrowed eyes.

"Don't even try to act like you don't know what I'm talking about." Cat said indignantly.

"I'm not using her to get over Tori. It's just strange timing." I said defensively.

Cat looked at me pointedly, "Funny. I didn't even have to say her name."

"Well, who the fuck else would you have been talking about?" I snapped defensively, "This isn't a distraction, Cat. I've got nothing that needs distracting from."

She shrugged, "If you say so. Summer will be interesting when she comes home."

"If Leila and I are still together then." I shook my head quickly, "I mean if we even get together in the first place."

Cat laughed again and I was growing tired of her attitude.

"Roscoe asked about you last night." I said with a smirk.

Cat squealed and clapped her hands together, "Oh my God, I miss him! How is he?"

I nodded my head, "He's good. He asked if Beck finally got his shit together and asked you out." I said, looking at her with knowing eyes.

I always made fun of her and Beck for their relationship and how close they were. Roscoe wasn't the only one that assumed they were dating, and then questioned why Beck hadn't grown a pair and asked Cat out. The three of us would laugh because no one else really understood the kind of friendship they had. The thought of them actually dating creeped me out. And not because Beck was my ex. That's high school history, and not really something I'm concerned with after all.

She blushed almost as red as her hair as she looked for anything else to occupy her attention, "Fuck." She whispered.

But that definitely wasn't the kind of reaction I was anticipating getting from her.

"Cat." I said in a warning voice. She had started chewing on her lower lip and staring at her half-eaten sandwich. Then, it hit me, "Oh my God. He did. He fucking asked you out. Christ, was it awkward when you said no?" I asked as I leaned forward with curiosity.

"Um. Right." Cat said as she cleared her throat, "Well, I kind of didn't say no." She said quickly.

I laughed. I straight up guffawed at the thought of the two of them dating. Until Cat looked at me severely and I realized this wasn't a joke.

"Fuck's sake, are you serious?" I asked in disbelief. I wasn't upset, believe me. I was shocked. I definitely hadn't seen something like that coming.

"Well, I don't know, Jade. We've just been spending so much time together, and I do really like him. It just kind of made sense. After that date with Clint, I kinda knew."

"Whoa. Hold the fuck on. You went on a date with Clint? As in, my fucking boss, Clint?" I asked, completely beside myself now.

"It was last week! You had enough shit going on in your life, I didn't want to bother you with this, too. So we went out to dinner and mutually decided that dating was not something the two of us should do. Not together at least." Cat said, her speech frantic at first, thought it mellowed out dramatically by the time she finished.

"What happened, did he have a small dick?" I asked nonchalantly as I continued to eat my lunch.

"Jesus, Jade! No. We didn't even do anything like that. We just both kind of realized that we would have preferred to be out with someone else." Cat spoke, a shrug flourishing her sentence.

I nodded my head, "Okay. Aside from the fact that I'm incredibly pissed that you waited this long to tell me, when did Beck ask you out?"

Cat pouted for a moment, obviously hating the fact that I was moderately upset with her. Of course I was being dramatic when I told her how upset I was. The thought of her dating Clint didn't bug me. But the not knowing about it definitely did. I wasn't even upset with the fact that Beck had asked her out, either. Just more of the not knowing.

"Two days ago." Cat said, looking at me nervously.

"Where's he taking you?" I asked.

She shrugged, "I'm not sure. He said he wanted it to be a surprise."

"Are you happy?" I abandoned my food when I asked this question, wanting to be able to read Cat's body language before she could try to lie about anything.

A small smile broke across those ruby lips as she looked up from the spot on the table she had been inspecting, "Yeah, Jade. I really am."

Now it was my turn to shrug, "Okay then," I said as I brushed the crumbs off of my hands and onto my plate.

"That's it?" Cat asked, clearly surprised.

"What else would there be?"

"I don't know. I guess I thought you'd be upset or something." Cat said, sounding almost relieved.

"Cat, Beck and I are ancient history. If we can be friends, then we can certainly watch us date other people. Besides, he has never thrown a fit about my feelings for Tori, or me dating Leila." I said simply.

Cat's grin was nearly face-splitting at this time as she lunged across the table and wrapped me in a hug, "Oh I knew you'd be okay with it! I love you, Jade!"

"Fuck's sake. You're suffocating me." I said as I tried to pry her slim figure off of me.

When she finally returned to her seat, I couldn't help but share the smile she had on her face. Cat's happiness was contagious. It always seemed to be that way.

"So you work tonight. Do you think Leila will show up?"

I shrugged, "I doubt it. I don't think she knows that I work. I didn't mention it last night." I spoke as I accepted the bill from the server. As soon as the paper was in my hand, Cat snatched it away and handed it back to the man with her credit card. I gave her a smile and rolled my eyes. I'd have to allow that this time.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Cat smirked as the server quickly returned with her card and her receipt. She signed it with a flourish as I threw down some cash for the tip, giving her a warning glare to let me do that much.

We gathered our things and walked out of the diner, "Yeah, you bring that fluffy-haired kid that's always attached to your hip. Tell him he's got some serious explaining to do!" I said as we parted ways. I watched as Cat walked a way down the street, waiving off my empty threat as she flagged down a taxi.

I smiled to myself as I made my way back to my apartment and lounged around for the rest of the evening. I thought about looking at my old writing again. I had found a piece that might be worth salvaging yesterday, though it would need to be looked at by fresh eyes before I'd put any more work into it. I'd have to remember to have Cat over to read it, since she was the only one I trusted enough to show any of my uncompleted work.

Time passed by quickly and before I knew it, I was frantically running around my apartment as I got myself ready for work. I pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans and deep-cut red sleeveless top. I glanced in the bathroom mirror to fix my lipstick and tousle my curls before pulling on a pair of black boots and was out the door.

When I got to work, I already knew that Cat had most likely talked to Clint about our conversation at the diner earlier. He looked at me guiltily as I walked behind the bar.

"I'm sorry, Jade! She said we should keep it quiet until things calmed down. She didn't want you worrying about more shit that didn't need worrying about!" He said frantically.

I laughed, "It's okay, Clint."

He looked at me shocked, "So you're not mad?"

"Oh, I'm pretty pissed. The way I see it, you owe me now." I said with a devilish smirk.

"Oh Christ. What's it gonna be?" He asked.

I shrugged, "To be decided at a later date." I said simply before beginning my work.

The evening was uneventful. Busy, but uneventful. I was thankful for that, because whenever things calmed down, I found myself thinking about Vega's drunken call the night before. And the fact that I may or may not have purposefully avoided talking about that with Cat. It would have just furthered her theory that I was using Leila as a distraction. And I truly didn't think I was. I enjoyed Leila's company. I enjoyed a lot of things about her, and who's to say I can't do that? Just as I thought about the pretty, green-eyed girl, I heard a familiar voice.

"Well, the service may be shit, but at least the help is hot."

I turned around and gave a challenging glare to the girl that had just occupied my thoughts. I strutted over to her and leaned on the bar, giving her a flirtatious look, "Is this something you do then, Fitz? Go to dirty bars and try to pick up their bartenders?"

She shrugged, "Only if they're incredibly good looking and clearly into me." She said cockily.

I stood up and crossed my arms, "You sound so sure."

She smirked, "Subtlety isn't your strong suit either, West. Or was that someone else's hands on my ass last night outside my apartment?"

I thanked the dim lights for hiding the slight blush that tinged my skin at the rather filthy kiss from the night before. "You sure weren't complaining." I said once I finally regained my composure.

"I'm sure not complaining now either." She said as her eyes raked over my body. I bit down on my lower lip as I let out a light laugh at her audacity.

"You driving tonight?" I asked as I reached for a glass to fill with soda.

"Nope. The girls decided it was time for me to let my hair down for once." When she finished speaking, my hand bypassed the 16 ounce glasses and instead snatched up two shot glasses which I filled to the brim with tequila.

"Then I insist." I said with a sly smirk.

"Well, if you're enabling me, then I sure hope you're joining me." She said with a laugh.

I reached for her hand, licked my finger and wiped it on the side of her hand between her thumb and forefinger. I licked my own hand and sprinkled salt on both wet patches, and finished the process by handing her other hand a lime, the salted hand still being held by my own. Before she could move, I licked her salted skin, shot back the glass, and bit down on my lime. She looked at me with her lips puckered in an 'oh' and her brow raised high in surprise.

"Well?" I asked in a challenging manner as I lifted my own salted hand up for her. She mimicked my previous motions and shuddered once the lime left her lips.

"We should go out." She said once she took a deep drink from a water I poured for her.

I smirked, "We have. Twice. Unless that was someone else with her tongue in my mouth outside your apartment." I said playfully as I filled a few orders from the people around us.

She nodded once, "We should do that again. The date, I mean. Not the other thing. Well, I mean, we could." She rambled, and I found it rather cute.

"This isn't the first bar you've come to, is it?" I asked with a smirk.

She dropped her head back and let out a sigh, "God, no. I begged them to leave the last one to come here."

"You're drunk!" I said with a laugh.

She looked at me and nodded as if she were guilty of something much worse. I nudged the water glass closer to her. That explained the rather brash behavior. Well, more than usual I should say.

I crossed my arms and cocked my head to the side, "I guess I could let you take me out."

"Oh, so _I'm_ taking _you_ out?" She asked humorously.

"Better fucking believe it, Fitz." I said with a grin.

Just then, a girl I vaguely remembered from Leila's first night in the bar came up to us and leaned against the bar next to Leila, "Is this her then?" She asked, though her eyes never left me.

"Oh fuck, Emma. Could you be any more awkward?" Leila groaned.

The girl, Emma, shrugged, "I could."

"You're the taco girl?" I asked with a laugh as I finally fit the face with the stumbling drunk girl from that night.

Emma shot me a look, "Pardon?"

Now it was Leila's turn to laugh loudly, "Oh, it's from the last time we were here, remember?"

Emma shuddered, "I never would have gotten tacos from a food stand had I not been so drunk."

I chuckled, thinking that I could probably get along with this girl.

I stuck out my hand, "Jade."

Emma took my hand, "I know who you are. Leila here can't seem to talk about anything but the 'raven haired beauty' from that bar she hadn't wanted to come to in the first place."

I looked at Leila playfully and chuckled at the mix between embarrassment and rage she wore so well.

"Oh my God. Fuck you guys. You are humiliating," she said pointing to Emma, "And you," her finger now directed at me, "are enjoying this way too much. I'm gonna dance." Leila said before lifting herself off of the stool and making a bee line to the dance floor. I watched her until she disappeared in the thick of the crowd and looked to her friend.

"She's something else." I said fondly with a smirk, almost shocked with my own honesty.

"She sure is." Emma said, though I could tell she was saying it more definitely and less in wonder like I was. I looked at her with confusion.

"You like her. Is that safe to assume?" She asked, her voice harsh.

"More than safe." I answered, my body turning rigid as I appraised this girl again. She reminded me a lot of myself.

"Good. She's amazing. More than amazing. And she deserves more than the best. If I find out you've hurt her..."

Emma couldn't continue with her threat. A bouncing ball of red hair came bounding up to the bar, followed suit by a rather guilty looking Beck.

"Jade!" Cat shouted happily as she clung to Beck's hand.

"Cat." I said with a smile, though I gave Beck a pointed look.

"I'm sorry! I was going to tell you! But you had that date last night, good job by the way. I heard it went really well." Beck said, throwing in a wink. Emma looked at me with a mix of intrigue and what I thought was her attempt at intimidation.

"Oh shit. I'm an asshole. Emma, these are my friends: Beck and Cat. Guys, this is Emma. She is...a friend of Leila's." I said, introducing them to each other.

They made their pleasantries before Emma excused herself to go play body guard for her friends. I continued to actually do my job, realizing I had kind of been slacking since Leila came to distract me.

"She seemed..." Cat trailed off.

"Intense?" Beck finished for her with an uneasy smirk.

"Something like that." I said as I handed a man two bottles of beer.

"So Leila's here, then?" Cat asked with a knowing smirk.

"Drunk, too." I answered vaguely as I continued to busy myself with the small crowd.

Cat laughed, "I need to meet her tonight."

I shot her a warning glare, "Oh, no you don't."

Cat pouted, though her face changed and she looked at me strangely, "You didn't tell me you talked to Tori last night."

I nearly dropped the pint I had been pouring, "How do you know about that?" I asked once I steadied myself.

"She called me earlier. Said she made a complete ass of herself."

I scoffed, "Fuck yeah, she did."

"She wants to talk to you. Just doesn't know what to say." Beck interjected at this point.

"Well, it's a little late for that, isn't it?" I said bitterly as I exchanged the drink for money to the man that had been standing next to Beck.

A cheery voice shouting my name broke up the tense conversation the three of us were having. Three sets of eyes shot up and watched as Leila came back over to the bar with a grin on her face.

"We're leaving." She said.

I looked over to Clint and nodded in my direction, a silent plea for him to cover me for a minute. I walked from behind the bar and over to where Leila stood.

"Okay, but before you go, this is Beck and Cat. Two of my best friends." I said casually as I wrapped an arm around her waist, my hand sliding into the back pocket of her jeans. It hadn't crossed my mind that this behavior should be strange until after I had done it. Though, it didn't feel weird. It felt normal. Like this is what I was meant to do. I leaned down and pressed my lips close to her ear, enjoying the way her body shuddered, "I'm sure you remember Cat." I said jokingly. Leila cleared her throat and stood taller, clearly trying to portray the sober version of herself that she most definitely wasn't at the moment.

"Leila Fitzpatrick." She said as she shook both of their hands. They stifled their snickers.

"Jade's told us all about you." Cat said with a cheeky grin.

"Fucking hell, Cat!" I shouted at her.

Leila looked at me with a drunken smile, "Oh has she?"

I dropped my head back and let out a groan, "What is it with our friends and embarrassing us?" I asked. Leila poked me in the side, causing me to twitch slightly.

"I think it's cute." She said.

"You didn't twenty minutes ago." I challenged.

Leila hummed in agreement before turning her body to face me completely, wrapping her arms around my waist and looking up at me. She had opted for flats, so the height difference between the two of us was more noticeable.

"Take me home with you." She said, her voice low enough that I had a good feeling Beck and Cat hadn't heard what she said.

Though I could assume they had a good idea what she said with the shocked expression that overcame my face. I kissed her once on the lips before brushing my mouth against her cheek and whispering, "You aren't like those girls, Fitz," into her ear. I heard her breath hitch in her throat as her grip on me tightened for a moment.

Sure we had gone on two dates, which was much more than any other girl I had ever interacted with. I wanted to do this right. Slow.

She pouted slightly and kissed me again and I laughed as I brushed the hair away from her eyes.

"Go home. Get some rest. If I'm not mistaken, you have a date to plan." I said cheekily.

Her eyes went wide and she stood up straight, "Oh my God! You're right! I gotta...I have to go. Bye!" She said frantically, coming in for one more lingering kiss before saying her goodbyes to us and running out of the bar with her friends.

"You're a changed woman, Jade West." Beck said with a smile.

I shrugged, "What can I say?"

"Tori really fucked up." Beck commented. Cat elbowed him in the side and he coughed and looked at he with confused eyes.

I shook my head, "Tori chose what she wanted. I can't be mad because it wasn't me."

They both nodded their understanding. Soon after, they departed from the bar and left Clint and I to end the night and close everything up. Once I finally made it to the confines of my apartment, I kicked my boots off and pulled my phone out of my purse, realizing I hadn't looked at it all night.

_1 New Message: Leila Fitzpatrick_  
_You better be prepared to go on the best date you've ever been on, babe._

I smiled, though bypassed responding, knowing she was probably passed out by now.

_1 Voicemail: Tori Vega_

Surprised, I hit the listen button and put the phone to my ear as I sat on my couch:

_Jade, I'm sorry. I really am. I've been...I've been really dumb. I just...I don't fucking know, Jade. What are you expecting to get out of this? We were drunk, and I hadn't seen you in so long and... Shit. I don't know what you want from me right now._

And then the line went dead.

I looked at the screen and shook my head, punching the delete button and locking the screen. As I tossed the phone onto my coffee table, I thought about what I wanted from her.

Not a damn thing, Tori Vega. I don't want a damn thing from you anymore.

**I just wanted to thank you guys for the input you've been giving me! I promise things are going to pick up in the next few chapters. Tori is going to make an appearance in the near future. Drop some feedback. You guys are amazing. =)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I swearrrrr I didn't forget about this! Somehow, I lost the ambition to continue, but recently got that spark back! I know it's moving slow, but it is definitely moving! I hope you enjoy it nonetheless! Reviews are always more than welcome and hopefully I'll get the next chap up much sooner than I did this one.**

It's been a little over three months since Leila and I 'officially' started seeing each other. Personally, I think the difference between 'official' and 'unofficial' is a load of shit. If we went by my calendar of events, Leila and I have been together for almost four months. Because I consider our first date to be the solid foundation of what started our relationship. Leila, on the other hand, believes it to be the night of our fourth date, which was the first time I introduced her as my girlfriend.

We had been out to dinner. Some posh place I heard people talking about at the bar. I felt incredibly uncomfortable, but the way Leila's face lit up had made everything worth it.

Until we ran into my parents when we were just finishing up our meal. The second I saw them walk through the entrance, I literally felt my blood run cold.

"Oh fucking hell." I said under my breath as I stared straight into my wine glass.

"What's wrong?" Leila asked, her voice drowning in concern.

"That's my um...Those are my..." I stammered uncomfortably. Since they were no longer in my field of vision, what with my face practically in my glass, I hadn't noticed them approach our table after the waiter dropped off our bill.

"Jade? What a pleasant surprise." My father said in his loud and intimidating voice. I rolled my eyes while still keeping my head down, and took a deep breath before meeting his stare.

"Pleasure's all mine, Dad." I said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

We don't get along all that well. Not since I told him I wasn't going back to school for a bit. To him, that was his victory for our everlasting argument that I had been wasting my time at Hollywood Arts.

Poor Mom just got dragged into the middle of it all the time. She gave me a genuine smile before looking at Leila in a shocked and uneasy manner.

"Oh, dear. I don't believe I've met you." My mother said as she looked at me in surprise before settling her eyes back on Leila.

"Right. Fancy meeting the parents?" I asked Leila in a sarcastic manner, though hoping to convey an apology in my eyes, "Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend, Leila."

Leila's smile was practically face splitting as I spoke. I watched as she sat up a little taller and tried her best to make a good impression.

"Girlfriend?" My father said loudly, startling a few tables around us.

"Walter, stop it. It should hardly come as a surprise. Especially after the fiasco your senior year, sweetie. What was her name? Tracy? Tanya?" My mother prattled off as I felt heat rising to my cheeks.

"Tori, Mom. Her name was Tori. Now, if you don't mind..." I trailed off, speaking through clenched teeth as I nodded towards Leila.

My mother let out a gasp and put her hand to her chest, "We've been so rude! It's lovely to meet you. I'm sure we'll see you for dinner soon. Isn't that right, dear?" She asked, clearly speaking to both my father and myself in the same sentence.

I nodded my defeat as my father cleared his throat and verbally agreed to my mother's suggestion. And then the very patient host that had been standing through the entire altercation finally lead my parents, thankfully, to another separate dining area.

Once they were out of ear shot I let out a large sigh before looking back to Leila, "I am really sorry. I had no idea they even came here. Although...I'm not surprised." I said as I appraised my surroundings, realizing that this was exactly the kind of place my parents would frequent.

Leila just smiled a little brighter and shook her head, "It's okay, really."

"I'm just really fucking embarrassed right now. I mean, Christ, we haven't even been together a month and I've already got you meeting my parents. Talk about cliché." I began to ramble under the stress of my nerves.

Leila laughed as she put her hand over mine on the table in a caring manner, "Jade, stop freaking out." She said softly, her smile still in place.

"Why are you all smiley, too? It's fucking creepy." I joked, hoping to lighten the mood I had been creating myself.

Her brow rose and her smile turned into a smirk, "You don't know?"

My insecurities instantly flared. Had I done something without realizing? "Do I have something on my face?" I said in a nervous voice.

Leila shook her head and looked at me, "You called me your girlfriend."

My pulse quickened. I fucking had. I, like the cocky little fucker I am, openly called her my girlfriend. Christ. We hadn't even talked about what either of us were looking for out of whatever we were doing.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out.

Confusion overtook her face, though the faintest smile could still be found on her lips, "What could you possibly be sorry for?"

"Well, I just know that we haven't really talked about what we are. Or what we aren't. I guess I kind of just assumed, and it's a really stupid thing to assume, I mean, for all I know you could be casually dating a couple people right now. Not that you seem like that kind of girl, 'coz you don't, but only because we never-" My rambling nonsense was disrupted by the pair of soft lips thad had been pressed against mine as Leila leaned over the table to silence me.

"Get out of your head, West." Leila joked once she returned to her seat across from me.

My cheeks blushed a deep rouge as I smiled back at her, "So. Girlfriend." I said with a smirk.

"Girlfriend." She repeated with a smug smile, "I think I could get used to that."

"What do ya say we get outta here, Fitz?" I said once I handed the waiter the black folder with enough cash to cover our bill and a hefty tip.

Leila rolled her eyes, "I shouldn't have expected the last name thing to go away when you started calling me your girlfriend, huh?" She asked as she slipped her jacket back on.

"Not a chance." I answered simply as I placed my hand on her lower back and lead her out of the restaurant.

We went for a walk and once I dropped my hand from its previous place on her back, I felt her own hand slip into mine, lacing our fingers together and squeezing gently. We talked about what we had going on in our lives, and she went into great detail about the frustration she was experiencing with some of her professors in school.

The conversation had grown to a lull as we walked in a comfortable silence until she cleared her throat loudly.

"So, West," she started, I casted her a sideways glance as I watched her chew on her lower lip, "what's your favorite ice cream flavor?"

I laughed and couldn't help feeling incredibly giddy that she would have made the effort to remember something so trivial I had said weeks ago.

"Trick question." I answered simply. She looked at me, confusion etched on her face.

"What do you mean?"

I shrugged, "I don't have one. I don't really like ice cream unless its in a root beer float." I answered. Leila looked at me with a smirk and shook her head.

"You're crazy." She said with a laugh.

"Because I don't like ice cream?" I asked in mock offense.

We had stopped walking and I realized that we had made it all the way back to her apartment. She stood in front of me, keeping my hand interlocked with hers as she smiled up at me with rosy cheeks from the brisk air.

"Yeah. Let's go with that." She said before claiming my lips in a chaste kiss. Well, the first one was chaste. The kiss that followed that one could have easily escalated, and very well might have had the car that drove by not laid on their horn rather obnoxiously.

"Fitz." I said, slightly breathless as I looked into her eyes.

"Yeah?" She asked as I watched her gaze fix onto my lips.

"We're not making out on your front porch again." I said with a smile.

Her eyes snapped back up to mine as she looked at me in surprise, "Oh. Right. Yeah. Of course." She stammered nervously and I chuckled, enjoying the fact that this time I was the one that had my wits about me. She unlocked the door and lead me up to her apartment.

I had only been inside her building once before, to drop her off after a different night where her friends coaxed her into a night of drinking and dancing. I offered to take care of her when I saw Emma flirting with a guy at the bar. I hoped my desire to care for her drunken friend, and also enable her drunken hook up would have earned me some points in her book. The thought alone surprised me because I have never given a fuck what anyone has thought about me.

Regardless, she fumbled with her keys as she tried to unlock the door to her apartment as I stood by and found great humor in the situation.

"Fuck off." She said when she managed to open the door.

I shrugged, "If that's what you want." I said as I moved to leave. Leila grabbed my arm and yanked me back to her, her other hand instantly pulling on the back of my neck.

"Oh, I think you know what I want." She breathed before crushing her lips against mine and leading me inside her apartment.

Okay, so maybe that night was monumental for more than just one reason.

I digress, though. We were now three months past the time when Leila and I mutually agreed that we were exclusively each other's. And something else big happened.

I had been lounging around my apartment, thankful that I had a day off where I could just unwind and not do anything of any importance. Leila had left in the morning for class, and I wasn't expecting to see her until after dinner time. She wasn't living with me, but she spent the majority of her week at my place. I surely wasn't complaining. It took some getting used to, but it was something I definitely enjoyed getting used to.

I had been lounging on the couch in sweats and a white muscle tank when there was a knock on the door. I glanced at the clock on my cable box. It wasn't even four yet. There was no way that could be Leila. Wouldn't be Cat, either. She was working. In confusion, I got off the couch and opened the door.

The sight in front of me made me guffaw as I stood watching Leila struggle with a cardboard drink holder, her school bag, and at least four text books.

"A little help." She said, looking at me in a slightly irritated fashion.

I took the drink tray and the textbooks from her as she walked into my apartment in a flustered fashion. It was then that I took inventory of what I was holding.

"Root beer floats?" I asked as I pulled one from the container and took a sip.

Leila nodded with a smile as she set her bag down on the couch and relieved me of the books I had been holding.

"What's the occasion?" I asked with a mouth full of ice cream.

She moved up on her tip toes and placed a kiss on my sugary lips, "You talk in your sleep." She answered.

"What?" I asked, clearly not bothering to hide my confusion.

"You talk in your sleep." She repeated, as if that were the part that I hadn't understood.

"About root beer floats?" I asked as she took her own from the container and tossed the cardboard onto the kitchen counter.

"Among other things." Leila answered vaguely as she sat down on the couch.

I laughed, "Like what?"

Leila watched me as I hunkered down next to her on the cushion. She gave me a smirk, "Not telling. But," she began loudly, "Emma wants us to go out tonight."

I groaned, "It's my day off."

"I know, I know. We don't even have to go out long. She just wants to know that I'm still alive or some stupid shit like that." Leila explained as she looked at me with those puppy dog eyes.

"Oh Christ, you're bribing me with sweet treats!" I exclaimed as I pointed to the frothy beverage in my hand, "Do I even talk in my sleep?" I asked in mock disbelief.

Leila laughed, "Sweetheart, I'm going to start recording the shit you say. It's unbelievable."

I began to pout like a child and Leila let out a cooing noise before taking the plastic cup out of my hand and setting both beverages on the coffee table. She straddled my legs and rested her hands around my neck.

"It's cute." She said, trying to convince me. I looked up at her and couldn't help but forget why I was even pretending to be mad. She was so beautiful, and she had such a great heart. She was smart as hell, too. She was...perfect.

"Cute, huh?" I baited.

Leila smiled, knowing I was giving up my ruse, "Adorable, actually. I love it. I love," her words caught in her throat as she let out a small cough, "I love the silly things you say." She finished saying, though the blush on her cheeks suggested she had been about to say something else. Something else incredibly important.

My heart was fluttering in my chest as I thought about the fact that she had been just about to tell me she loved me. But she stopped herself.

She was about to extract herself from my hold, but I gave her a gentle squeeze and guided her face back so she was looking at me, "I love you, too." I whispered.

I think we were both surprised that those words had just fallen from my lips. Though once the shock subsided, I couldn't manage to speak through the flurry of kisses that were being peppered all over my face.

Needless to say, a few heated hours later, and I had found myself standing the queue of a club with Leila on my side.

"Have I told you how much I appreciate you doing this for me?" Leila practically purred into my neck. I shivered before giving her a warning glare.

"Have I told you how much of a tease you are?" I retorted.

Leila laughed as she leaned up to kiss the spot below my ear, "Not in the last hour."

"Oh fuck this." I said before pulling Leila out of the line. She protested and asked me what the hell I was doing several times until we walked up to where the bouncer stood.

"Jade!" The guy said, giving me a big hug, "It's been a long time."

"Yeah, it has. Is Andre performing tonight?" I asked as I nodded to the building.

The guy, Roger, shook his head, "Nah. He took off. Said he had something important going on. Figured you woulda been there with him."

I tilted my head to the side in confusion, "Huh. I haven't heard from him yet." I said with a shrug.

Roger waved it off, "Probably nothin' special. You head in." He said waving Leila and I past those waiting in line. I had to stifle a laugh at the groans and protests that were being thrown at Roger. Though I knew that one simple look would get everyone to shut up.

"It's official. You know everyone." Leila said simply as we walked up to the bar.

I shook my head, "One of my best friends performs here a lot."

Leila nodded her head, "Sure. You've got connections." She said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes as I ordered us drinks while Leila scanned the crowds.

"Oh! I see them!" She said, pointing to a table that was packed with girls. I let out a sigh as I handed Leila her drink.

It isn't that I didn't want to be with her friends. They were perfectly nice. I just really hate the club scene. In fact, the only time I would go out to a place like this would be when Andre would perform.

Leila pulled me into a passionate kiss, "I love you," she said before successfully dragging me through the throngs of sweaty bodies and to her friends.

I must've been smiling like an idiot because when Emma saw us, she gave me a strange look before saying, "Look who it is. The lovebirds finally decided to grace us with their presence."

"Fuck off, Emma." Leila said, silencing her friend as we scooted into the booth.

After a few rounds of drinks, I was watching Leila get dragged onto the dance floor by her friends, which just left me sitting alone with Emma.

"She seems happy." Emma commented.

I nodded my head as I stared after her blissfully, "I hope so."

Emma let out a snort as a response and I was growing increasingly frustrated with the girl. It was as if nothing I ever did would be good enough for Leila. I understand protective best friends, trust me, I practically wrote the handbook, but this was fucking ridiculous.

"You don't like me." I said bluntly, letting my eyes fall onto her.

Emma shrugged, "I don't know you."

I scoffed, "All the more reason not to like me."

"I know of you, though." Emma said.

Confusion faltered any kind of reply as I thought about what she could mean, "What?"

Emma rolled her eyes, "I've heard all about you and the way you play girls to your advantage before tossing them aside."

I laughed. I actually fucking laughed, "You think that's what I'm doing?"

She shrugged her shoulders in a very noncommittal way.

I let out another scoff in disbelief, "Okay. I get that I have a shit reputation, and I get the whole protective best friend thing too, but listen to me, and I'm only going to say this to you once: I love her and I do not need to prove that to anyone else but her. So whatever you've got going on here is going to stop now, because I do not need to feel that my relationship is being judged or critiqued by a third party."

Emma looked at me in shock at my declaration, "Holy shit."

"What?" I asked, still irritated.

"You really mean it." She stated.

"Damn straight I do. So are we sorted?" I asked in a low voice, noticing her re approaching friends being led by my girlfriend.

She shrugged and nodded, "Sure." She said before bashfully looking away.

Leila tucked herself into my side as the rest of her friends got situated. I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket and I wrestled with my pants to retrieve it.

_1 New Message: Andre Harris_  
_Hollywood Arts hangs at Roscoe's. Be there or I'm revoking your best friend title and giving it to Robbie._

I smiled at the message and punched in a quick reply:

_We both know that's an empty threat. I'll be there._

I leaned in so Leila could hear me clearer amongst all the other chatter, "My friends are at Roscoe's. Do you want to go with?"

Leila looked at me apologetically, "Would you hate me if I stayed?"

I laughed, "Course not. I just wanted to offer." I gave her a smile and kissed her chastely.

"I'll come over tomorrow morning." She said with a grin before pulling me in for another kiss.

"Will you now?" I asked playfully. She nodded her head and I leaned in to kiss her one last time before standing and saying my goodbyes to her friends as they simultaneously cooed, gagged, and playfully joked at our interaction.

I caught a cab to Roscoe's and walked into the building. My heart swelled with excitement as I saw my friends seated at our usual table. Beck had his arm slung around Cat's shoulders, and I smiled as I remembered that her and I still needed to talk about their situation. Robbie had been telling an elaborate story as his arms waved around comically while Andre ducked to avoid getting a fist to the face.

When they noticed my arrival, I saw joy in everyone's face but Cat's. Her eyes held apprehension as she looked at me as though she was giving me a warning. I walked over to the table, hoping that I seemed more sober than I was, as I gave my hello's.

"The fuck is your deal, kitty cat?" I asked Cat as I plucked a slice of pizza off of their table.

Cat looked around and I saw her uneasiness bleed onto Beck and worry grew in the pit of my stomach. Had something terrible happened?

"Jade." A familiar voice said from behind me. I nearly dropped the slice in my hand as I reeled around to see the owner of the voice that had haunted me for nearly three years.

"Tori." I managed to choke out.


	6. Chapter 6

**Two updates in under one week?! What is going on! Haha enjoy you guys =) **

"Right." I said before dropping the pizza onto a plate and snatching Beck's cigarettes from the table and making a hasty retreat from the group and out of the restaurant. I heard Cat offer an apology on my behalf as I walked out the door. I pulled a cigarette from the pack and slipped it between my lips before realizing that I didn't have a lighter.

"Fuck." I said out loud.

"Need this?" Cat asked as she lit the tip of the cigarette. I took a deep pull and looked at her through steely eyes.

"You didn't tell me she'd be here." I said.

"You wouldn't have come had you known."

"Damn fucking straight I wouldn't have. So instead you thought you should just ambush me?"

Cat let out a sigh, "I'm sorry. None of us expected tonight to happen, Jade. She showed up at my place this afternoon. I guess her semester ended a few days ago and she's home now. She wanted to get the old group back together, and she was pretty insistent that you be present as well."

"Great. So she can tell me she loves me tonight and deny it tomorrow?" I asked sarcastically.

Cat gave me a sad, knowing look before narrowing her eyes and leaning in a bit closer, "Where were you before this?"

I took another drag from the cigarette, "I was out with Leila and her friends." I said.

Cat laughed, "You're loaded already, aren't you?"

"Moderately."

"How is Leila, by the way?" Cat asked with genuine concern.

A smile made its home on my lips as I fixed my eyes on the ground and thought about my girlfriend, "She loves me." I said, finally raising my gaze to meet Cat's.

Excitement overtook Cat's entire demeanor nanoseconds after I told her and she squealed, "Oh my God! That's great!" Her joy faltered for a moment, "What did you say back?"

I cleared my throat and averted my eyes, "Well, technically I said it first. Only because I knew she wanted to say it too."

"You meant it though, right Jade?" She asked with narrowed eyes.

"Course I did. I do. I really do." I said, looking at Cat hopelessly. This was completely new territory for me.

Cat's smile returned as she started singing Usher's You Got it Bad before she pulled me into an abrupt hug. I laughed as I finished my cigarette when she let me go, stubbed it out on the bottom of my shoe, and slipped it into the ashtray on top of the garbage outside of the building.

"Shall we?" I asked as I ushered Cat back into the building.

When we approached the table again, I noticed how it still had the carefree atmosphere from before. Vega even looked like she was having a good time despite the fact that I hadn't even bothered to greet her before storming out.

"Sorry about that." I said with a small cough as I tossed Beck's pack back onto the table. Cat and I grabbed two chairs from a nearby table and set them on the end of the booth.

"Where's Leila?" Beck asked.

"Yeah! I finished that video game she lent me. I wanted to talk her about it." Robbie chimed in excitedly. Since Leila and I got together, she became an unofficial member of our group. She got along spectacularly with Robbie, which never failed to make me laugh. Cat adored her, and Beck admired her ability to handle me and my moods with such ease. Andre hadn't yet met her, and Tori didn't even know she existed.

"I'm not convinced she's real, Jade." Andre joked.

"Fuck off, Andre," I laughed, "she's actually at your club with her friends right now." I said as I sipped the long island iced tea that Beck had got for me while I was gone.

"No shit! Did you say hi to Roger?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes, "Course I did. How do you think we even got in?" I asked with a laugh.

"Who's Leila?" Vega asked in a quiet voice.

"Leila's Jade's new girlfriend." Robbie answered, his voice energetic in the beginning, but quickly petered out once he realized what he had said. Whatever had been going on between Tori and I was hardly a secret with the rest of our friends. Especially after her birthday when we collectively as a group realized she hadn't told a single one of us that she was coming home.

"Oh." Vega said, looking almost crushed as she returned her attention back to her drink.

"Why didn't you invite her?" Cat asked, clearly hoping to get rid of this awkward tension by saying something. Usually that something would have lead us into a different topic altogether, but leave it to Cat.

"I did. She just hasn't seen Emma much lately, plus some of her other friends are back from school now. I figured it wouldn't kill us to spend a night apart." I joked.

"How did you meet her?" Vega asked.

Beck laughed loudly and spoke before I even had a chance, "Jade tried picking her up at the bar one night and Leila shut her down." Andre shared in Beck's raucous laughter.

"Fuck off, Beck! That's not even true." I barked, only slightly irritated.

Beck gave me a pointed look, "Where did you meet her?"

"The bar." I answered simply.

"And did you or did you not ask her to come home with you to which she denied your offer?"

I rolled my eyes, "Sure, but we got coffee instead. I wouldn't have slept with her if she had said yes. Jesus."

Beck laughed again, "Right. Because she's special."

I leaned forward and socked him on his arm, "You're such a cock." I said with a laugh.

Vega took all the information in and nodded slowly, "How long have you two been together?"

Christ, why was she asking these questions? This was practically torture just answering them.

"Don't. Don't start that again." Robbie said in a pleading voice, "Do not start the ever-lasting argument of when they started dating. Jesus Christ, they could go on forever about why one is more right than the other."

I glared at Robbie, "Fine. Let's just say about three and a half months. Is that okay with you, Rob?"

Robbie gave me a cheeky smile, "Sounds perfect to me."

Beck excused himself shortly after to retrieve another round of drinks with Andre's help. Robbie scampered off to the front of the restaurant where a claw machine was located, with Cat hot on his heels begging him to win her a green elephant. So that left Tori and I seated alone.

"I didn't know you were seeing anyone." She commented.

"How could you? The most I've heard form you since your birthday is the occasional drunken voicemail that you so feverishly deny the next morning." I said snidely as I knocked back what was left of my drink.

"Don't do that, Jade." She pleaded.

"No, Tori, you don't do that. All you have done is send me mixed signals and fuck with my mind, so please, excuse me that I've got little to no patience when it comes to dealing with your shit." I said sharply as Beck and Andre arrived with the drinks. Beck scooted back in next to Tori and Andre shuffled in on the other bench. Robbie and Cat returned, with Robbie looking dejected and Cat giggling with the green elephant in her hands.

"What's your deal?" I asked Robbie as he slumped into the booth next to Andre.

"I lost." He said.

"I don't get it." I said as I pointed to the elephant in Cat's hands.

"I won!" She laughed airily as she raised the elephant in her hands victoriously as she took her seat next to me.

I took a sip from my fresh drink as my phone started to buzz on the table. I lifted up the offending item and looked at the screen to see who was calling.

"Hello?" I answered, a smile already finding its home on my face.

"Jadey." Fitz cooed to me from the other end of the line.

"Congratulations. You aren't too drunk to call the right person." I said with a laugh.

"Oh, I accidentally called James four times before I got you." Fitz giggled.

I shook my head, "Your poor brother."

"This is just payback for butt dialing me while he was banging that girl." Fitz said with a loud laugh.

I scrunched my nose in disgust, "I didn't need the mental image, babe."

I tried to ignore the flash of hurt on Vega's face out of my periphery vision when I said the word babe. The rest of the group had a completely different reaction as they simultaneously began shouting their greetings in my face, hoping to reach Leila.

She laughed, "Aw! Everyone's there?"

"Yup. The gang's all here. Even Andre graced us with his presence." I said, shooting him a playful wink. "We're still at Roscoe's. You should come out. Bring Emma."

"I wanna sleep, Jade." She said in a quiet voice. I smiled, remembering that a very drunk Leila Fitzpatrick did not like sleeping alone.

"Okay, babe. I'll come over." I said.

"I'm actually...not at my place." She said with a giggle.

"Where are you then?" I asked.

"I'm outside yours." She said, sounding bashful.

I laughed, "Of course you are. Well, I'll leave now. I'll see you soon, yeah?"

"Yup." She giggled.

I was about to say goodbye before another thought crept into my mind, "What've you been drinking tonight?"

"Tequila." She said with a giggle.

My face blushed at the thought. Leila Fitzpatrick had several drunk personalities. Vodka drunk Fitz wanted to do nothing but dance. Whiskey drunk Fitz had an incredibly short temper and a colorful vocabulary. Beer drunk Fitz wanted to eat everything in sight. Tequila drunk Fitz...couldn't keep her hands or lips to herself.

"I'm on my way." I said in a hushed voice.

"I love you." She said.

Just hearing those words caused a grin to pull on my lips, though I hesitated in my reply. Vega was sitting right there, and hearing me say those words would probably hurt her more than anything that she'd found out that night.

"You too." I resorted to saying before hanging up, "Well, it's been a blast you guys, but I have an intoxicated girlfriend who needs tending to." I said. Beck waggled his eyebrows at me suggestively and I rolled my eyes. I dropped a twenty on the table and flipped Beck the bird when he tried to give me back the bill. I left the restaurant and stood in the cool air, taking a deep breath before successfully flagging down a taxi.

Why had I not just fucking said it? As if Vega hadn't caused me enough pain in the last few months. I shook my head, hating myself for being so stupid. Then again, I had no idea how to react in this situation. What are you supposed to do when the girl of your dreams fucks off on you after telling you she's always had feelings for you, only to drop back into your life at the most inconvenient of times? Like when you're happily in love with someone else.

Leila. Fuck. I'd have to tell her Tori was home. Well, now that I thought about it, I'd probably have to tell her who Tori was to me. Aside from that moment in the restaurant when we'd run into my parents, Tori was never brought up in relation to my love life. And when she was brought up in discussion with our friends, I don't think Leila picked up on the fact that it was the same Tori. If she had, she hadn't asked about it.

Any thoughts of Tori were wiped away when we pulled up to my apartment building and I saw Leila sitting on my steps, smoking a cigarette and looking absolutely stunning despite her disheveled, drunken state. I paid my fare and got out of the car.

"Can I help you?" I asked as I approached her slowly.

She blew smoke out of the side of her smirking mouth, "Well, I was waiting for my girlfriend take me up to her bed, but you might do as a substitute." She said as she wrapped her arms around my waist after flicking the butt of her cigarette off to the side.

"You're completely tanked, aren't you?" I asked as I looked at her glassy eyes.

"You're looking pretty sober yourself." She said sarcastically.

I laughed, "Touché." I said as I ushered her into the building.

Had I not been so drunk myself, I most likely would not have allowed her to pin me to the elevator wall, kissing me roughly as she groped me. Nor would I have let myself be shoved against the hallway wall right next to my door as she attached her lips to my pulse point and began to deftly unbutton my top.

"Fitz. Fuck. Inside." I gasped. She smirked into my neck as she took my keys out of my hand and expertly unlocked the door without breaking the kiss. To say I was impressed would have been an understatement.

She led me backwards into my apartment, shutting and locking the door before continuing our path. Clothes were strewn from the front door to my bed, and it goes without saying that we didn't do that sleeping that Fitz had initially requested for quite a while.

I woke in the morning with a hangover to end all hangovers and Fitz's body draped over mine as she snored lightly. I took a moment to enjoy how peaceful she looked when she slept before doing my best to gently disentangle myself from her without disturbing her. As soon as I was out of her grasp, she snatched my pillow and clung to it desperately, burying her face and letting out a sigh of content. I smiled as I pulled on an oversized sweater and a pair of black girly boxers.

Breakfast sounded like the best idea at the moment, so I padded my way into the kitchen and had made it to the fridge as my phone began ringing loudly from my bag that had been tossed haphazardly onto the couch. I scurried over quickly, silencing the device and answering it.

"What's up, kitty Cat?" I asked as I walked back to the fridge.

Cat groaned dramatically, "I feel like I'm fucking dying."

I laughed, "I take it you guys stayed out for a while."

"We went back to Robbie's once Roscoe closed up. I'm never drinking again."

"If I had a dollar for every time you said that. Why don't you come over? I'm just about to make breakfast and Leila is still dead to the world so you've got time to get here." I said.

"Yes please. I have to talk to you about something, though." Cat said, sounding serious.

I stopped shuffling around in the fridge and stood up straight, "What is it?"

"Tori's going back to New York."

I laughed, "Are you kidding me? Just like that? Home for a day and then gone again."

"I guess so. She won't say why, just that her plans changed and she needs to clear her head. You don't think-"

"It'd be fucking stupid if that was the reason she left." I snapped.

"God, she's such an idiot sometimes. Whatever. I'm on my way." She said and we gave our goodbyes before I hung up the phone and stared blankly into the fridge.

Vega left. Again. Well, I can't say I'm surprised.

Another month went by and I hadn't heard from Vega since that night at Roscoe's. I won't lie and say she hasn't been on my mind, because she has. Quite frequently, too. I was bothered with the fact that she thought she could just come back into my life without any repercussions of the way she had previously treated me. I tried to reason with myself that my unavailability had little to nothing to do with her leaving again. But nothing else really made sense.

One afternoon, Leila and I had been at my apartment, watching some creepy SyFy show. We were lounged on the couch in shorts and tank tops, refusing to put on clothes acceptable to be seen in public. We had just ordered a few pizzas and Cat and Beck were expected to arrive within the hour. Leila's hands were tickling the bare skin of my thigh as she pleaded to me.

"You're so much closer to the fridge." She pouted.

I laughed, "I am maybe six inches closer than you are. You are so fucking lazy."

"Come on, Jade. Please?" She purred into the side of my neck, her hands leaving a trail of goosebumps as the gently raked over my arms.

"You're putting more effort into seducing me. You'd already have your orange soda if you'd get up yourself." I said with a smirk.

"But this is so much more fun." She whispered as she nipped my earlobe. In one quick movement, I had her pushed onto the couch and my body covering hers and I kissed her.

"Hope you aren't going to die of thirst, then." I said before kissing her again and pressing my hips down onto her. She let out a groan as she threaded her hands in my hair.

"Fuck the soda." She breathed before claiming my lips roughly.

A knock on the door disrupted us as I lifted myself up and looked over my shoulder at the door in confusion. The pizza wouldn't be here for another half hour, at least.

"Cat and Beck?" Leila asked as her fingers gently trailed up my arms.

"They must've gotten lucky with traffic if it is them." I answered as I lifted myself off of her and walked over to the door.

"I'm dying over here. Dying of thirst." Leila began to wail dramatically. I laughed as I approached the door.

"Fuck's sake, you sound like a dying rabbit." I laughed over my shoulder when I finally opened the door. I expected to see Cat and Beck standing there, but instead was met with shining caramel eyes I never thought I'd see again.

"Tori." I said, staring at her with wide eyes.

"I'm back." She said sheepishly with a small smile.

"You're back." I stated dumbly.

"Who is it, babe?" Leila shouted, peeking her head up from behind the back of the sofa. I watched as confusion and realization washed over Tori's face as she looked between Leila and I. Leila finally managed to peel herself from the piece of furniture, go fucking figure, and padded up behind me.

"It's Tori. This...is Tori." I said uncomfortably as I introduced her. I could feel Leila's uneasy eyes on me as she looked back to Tori.

Okay, I'm officially awful. I never told Leila about Tori. Once Cat told me she left again, I figured it wouldn't be something that I would have to worry about. Though once Tori left again, she became a hot topic among the group when we would get together. Andre was the only one actively keeping in touch with her. At this point, Cat was irritated with her flakey behavior and didn't see the point if Tori was going to keep fucking off on us. So Leila had a very loose idea of who Tori was. I know, there is no good reason for me to have kept that pertinent piece of information hidden. I just didn't know how to begin to explain whatever it was that Tori and I had been.

Regardless of the obvious tension, Leila put on her brightest smile and stuck her hand out, "Nice to finally meet you. I'm Leila. You're quite the topic of conversation among your friends." She said as she slid her hand underneath the fabric of my tank top and began rubbing soothing circles onto my lower back. I got the feeling she was subtly trying to lay claim to her territory, that she could sense that there had been something going on between the two of us.

Tori smiled uncomfortably and nodded, "I've heard great things about you, too.

"Come in." I said, as if I had been shocked out of my previously stunned demeanor.

"Thanks." Tori said meekly as she walked inside.

Once I closed the door and slipped the lock back into place, I turned to see Leila slipping her shoes on and grabbing her purse. Panic set in almost instantly.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

Leila gave me a comforting smile, "I'm just gonna run down and pick up a case of that hard cider Cat likes. All we've got is beer, and that settles you, Beck, and I, but you know how Cat feels about beer ever since that night she barfed for five solid minutes outside your bar when that guy challenged her to a power hour."

I shuddered at the memory before giving her an appreciative smile, "Well, aren't you thoughtful." I teased.

She shrugged, "Besides, I'm gonna pick me up an orange soda since someone refuses to get one for me."

I rolled my eyes and laughed, "There's a case and a half in my fridge at this exact moment. I don't even drink it! Do not buy any more orange soda." I warned playfully.

"Fine. I'll get something else." She said as she brushed her lips against mine. The first was chaste, barely feathered on my lips. The second was slightly stronger, possessive, even. She pulled back and shouted, "I'll be back!" before exiting my apartment. I stared after her for a moment, appreciating her trust and understanding in this rather inexplicable moment.

Finally, I looked back at Tori who had been seated on the couch, "What are you doing here, Tori?"

She had been twirling around a ring on her middle finger, a nervous tick I had caught on to when we were in high school, "I wanted to see you."

"You left." I stated, "Again."

She sighed, "I know. I don't know why I keep doing this. I just...hearing that you were with someone else hurt so badly, I had to get out of here. Just for a bit. And now seeing you with her..." She trailed off as she stared at the door where Fitz had just left through and I did my best to steel myself for whatever she was going to say. I wasn't going to fall for that bull shit again.

Instead, she surprised me.

"You're really happy." She said sadly.

I nodded, "I am."

"She seems great." Tori said, and I could tell she was being sincere.

"She is." I agreed.

"So I'm happy for you, then." She said firmly. I looked at her confused for a moment and she bit on her lip, "I fucked everything up between us. I know that. But there isn't anything that I can do about it anymore, is there? So..." She stood and took a few steps closer to me and my pulse quickened, "Friends?" She asked, sticking her hand out to me.

I appraised her, more than surprised by what she was saying. I nodded after a moment's hesitation and accepted her outreached hand, "Friends."

"We never really did the whole friendship thing in high school, so this should be interesting." Tori said, trying to lighten the mood.

I chuckled and made my way to the kitchen, "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Sure. What do you have?"

I clicked my tongue as I opened the fridge and examined the contents, "Orange soda, beer and...orange soda." I said with a laugh.

"Orange soda it is." Tori said.

I grabbed two cans and handed one to her. We sat on the couch in slightly awkward silence until the door burst open and Leila came bustling through carrying a large twenty four pack of hard cider. I laughed and stood to help her, though she waved me off, declaring something about her womanhood and independence.

"What was that shit about you not drinking orange soda?" She asked, nodding to the can in my hand.

I rolled my eyes, "This is all that we've got. What happened to picking up something else?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Changed my mind. Cat called. They're running a bit late, but they'll be here soon." She said, slightly out of breath once she set the case on the kitchen counter, "Are you staying, Tori?" She asked, looking past me to Vega.

"Oh, I don't want to impose, really. I should have called before even coming out tonight." Tori said, shaking her head.

"You should stay. We'll call Andre and Robbie. Order a few more pizzas. Make a night of it." I suggested casually with a shrug. The ball was in her court. I wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to be here. I understood how painful that could be.

"Are you sure?" She asked me with a smile.

I nodded, "Positive, friend." I said with a smirk.

Hours later, the seven of us were loafing around on the couch and floor with demolished pizza boxes and empty beer bottles strewn about. Beck and Andre had gone out to buy another case of that we had already pretty much destroyed in addition to what we already had in the fridge.

Needless to say, none of us planned on moving until morning. Leila and I had passed out on the couch together, Vega had curled up on my armchair while the rest found places on the floor. I didn't even recall falling asleep, though was well aware of the fact when I had been awoken by a rather irritating ringtone I recognized as what Trina had set for herself on Tori's phone.

"Fucking hell, Vega. Turn that shit off." I growled as I nuzzled closer into Leila. When the noise stopped, I opened my eyes to see Leila giving me a strange look. When she saw that I was awake and alert she shook the expression away and smiled.

"Morning." She said before giving me a chaste kiss.

"Mmm," was the only reply I offered.

Once we were all out of our food comas, everyone else slowly trickled out of the apartment and on with their own lives. As I was cleaning up the mess, my phone went off.

_1 New Message: Tori Vega_  
_I'm glad we can still be friends. I missed you, Jade._

That message irritated me and frustrated me at the same time. What am I supposed to say to that? How the hell am I supposed to deal with her being so okay with the fact that I'm in a relationship and she missed her chance to be with me?

Leave it to Sweet Sally fucking Peaches to be perfect yet again.

I shook my head, tossing my phone back on the counter as I continued to clean up the empty pizza boxes. I noticed Leila sitting quietly on the couch, looking uncomfortable.

"Babe? What's wrong?" I asked, abandoning the box in my hand on the counter as I walked into the living room and sat next to her on the couch.

She looked worried as she twisted her hands together in her lap and looked at me, "Do you love me?" She asked.

She shocked me by how vulnerable and unsure she sounded. My eyes widened in surprise as I took her hand in mine and squeezed gently, "Of course I do. What's this about?" I asked, trying to search her eyes for answers she might not want to give truthfully.

Leila shook her head and smiled, "It's nothing. I'm being stupid."

I nodded, not really believing her for a second. I stood up, "Come on, then."

"What?" She asked in confusion.

I said nothing, only motioning for her to stand. When she finally did, I bent down and picked her up, thankful that she was so damn petite as I carried her into my room.

She was laughing hysterically as she wrapped her arms around my neck, "What are you doing?"

I set her down on my bed and kissed her fully, "I'm going to show you how much I love you."

All humor had been sucked out of the room as her eyes darkened and her tongue slipped out to wet her lips in anticipation. I kissed her again as I crawled atop her as my mind began to wander back to Tori.

Fucking hell. _Friends_? Did we even know how to be just friends?


	7. Chapter 7

**I know I've taken way too long for these updates. I'm just clinging to this story as well as my other unfinished one because I'm not sure if I'll be writing more after these. I'm going to make this last as long as it seems fit for me. Definitely expect many chapters to come, but don't hate me when it takes ages in between! Regardless, I hope you enjoy this as much as the other ones. Reviews and criticism are always more than welcome. You guys have been helpful, and I'm actually incredibly glad that people are fans of Leila's character! Jori shippers, don't lose hope, though!**

* * *

A few weeks had gone by, and Tori remained in LA. Not only that, but she also became a pretty permanent part of the group one day, about a month after she returned again, I asked the question that had been burning inside me.

"Why didn't you tell anyone you were coming home for your birthday?" I asked as we sat on my couch. Leila had been in class, and we were currently waiting for Cat to get off of work so we could grab dinner before all going out.

I heard Tori's sharp intake of breath as her body stiffened for a moment. Her shoulders sagged and she shook her head, "I don't know."

Scoffing, I looked at her in disbelief, "We were supposed to be your best friends, Tori. To find out that you were home after not seeing you for God knows how long... It hurt."

Tori's eyes snapped up to mine, "Even you?"

I was momentarily taken aback as I tried to understand what exactly she was asking of me, "What do you mean, _even me_?"

"Were you hurt?" She reiterated in a soft voice.

"Of fucking course I was. I hadn't heard from you since before you left for New York, and suddenly you're shit faced in my bar, acting like nothing ever changed."

"And whose fault is that?" Tori snapped back quickly.

I looked at her with wide eyes before composing myself again, "I guess I deserve that."

"You guess? Jade, the summer before I left for school, it was you and me. We spent almost every night together. Every party Trina had, _you_ always managed to find your way into _my_ bed. Then suddenly, I couldn't be damned to hear from you after I got my acceptance letter to NYU."

I stood from the couch, feeling increasingly uncomfortable as Tori aired out all of our dirty laundry. I walked over to the island and futzed around with the mail.

"You never bothered to see me." I said quietly, knowing it would do nothing but ignite a flame inside of Vega.

"Would you even have let me?" She asked from her seat on the couch.

I shrugged, "I might've."

Tori groaned, "This is exactly what you do, Jade. You hide behind your noncommittal statements, hoping that if things don't go your way, you'll be able to pretend that you were never invested in the first place." Tori said snidely.

"Oh fuck off, Vega. Don't try to pretend that I was the one mucking up whatever it was that we were in high school. I was sick and tired of being your dirty little secret. You never knew what you wanted, even when you had me. Then you come back from New York and you're suddenly terrified of the fact that you woke up in bed with me. Have _you_ forgotten the summer before you left for college?" I snapped, finally looking up to meet Tori's heated glare.

Tori stood and walked slowly over to where I was standing, and I didn't like the look in her eyes.

"Did you?" She asked in a dangerously low voice.

"Did I what?" I snarled.

"Know what you wanted." She said as the distance between the two of us closed.

"You knew I did." I said as my voice threatened to break.

"And now?" She asked as she stood only inches away from me.

"I'm with Leila." I said, surprising even myself with how firm my voice came across.

Tori smirked, "Do you love her?"

"Yes."

She inched closer, "Do you love her like you love me?"

Those eight words washed over my like cold water as I abruptly took two steps back and stared at Vega incredulously, "Fuck you." I spat.

Tori looked just as surprised as I was that those words came out of her mouth. She took a step back herself and shook her head, "I'm... I'm sorry."

"Yeah. Me too." I looked at her with conflicted eyes as anger and frustration boiled inside me as my eyes never left her face, taking note of ever muscle twitching with sadness as her lips pulled down slightly.

The door opening broke us from our awkward stalemate and suddenly Cat appeared next to Tori, "Hey guys!" She greeted cheerily before taking note of our terse demeanor, "Whoa, who died?" She added at the end.

I shook my head, "No one died, Cat. How was work?" I asked, trying to seem happier than I was moments ago.

Cat shrugged, "Same old. Just glad to be done for the weekend. Where's Leila?"

I glanced at the clock on the stove, "She should be here soon, actually. Her last class ended twenty minutes ago."

Tori and Cat took seats on the couch while I made my way into my bedroom to change for our night out. I was standing in my underwear with my closet open and my back to my door as I contemplated what I wanted to wear. I yelped when I felt a pair of cold hands grasp my hips and spin me around as I was met with a pair of shining green eyes.

"Scared ya?" She asked playfully before reaching up and kissing me chastely.

"Terrified, actually." I replied as I wrapped my arms around her waist while hers slid up my arms and around my neck. We shared a handful of light kisses before my lips wandered to her neck.

She hummed contentedly, "So what exactly are you doing in your underwear?" She asked as her fingers ghosted down my back, pausing over the clasp of my bra as her fingers slid beneath the fabric.

"Don't even think about it. We're going out, remember?" I asked as I stepped away from her hold and back to the task at hand.

"Can't find a thing to wear?" She asked playfully as I rifled through my clothes.

"No." I grumbled, only slightly serious.

"Well, I personally think you like fine just the way you are right now, but something tells me you might cause a bit of a distraction." I let out a faux laugh as I tugged a pair of skinny jeans over my legs and fastened the button. I rolled my eyes and Leila's playful pout before settling on a black v-neck. I pulled the garment over my head and fluffed my hair back up.

"Are Cat and Tori fighting?" Leila asked as she watched me apply my make up in the mirror above my dresser.

I looked at her, surprised, "I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

She shrugged, "It's just incredibly awkward out there. And Cat's making a face."

I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head and waving it off, "They'll sort it out eventually. Those two have been best friends for a long time."

I'd have to ask Cat about that as soon as I got her alone.

Once I finished getting ready, the four of us left to get dinner before meeting up with the guys. We arrived at the restaurant and Tori instantly made a beeline for the bathroom. When the server came to take our drink order, Cat began to order us a bottle of merlot.

"Tori can't drink red wine." I commented as I continued to read the menu. When Cat didn't move to say anything else, I looked up to see both Leila and Cat looking at me very confused.

"Why not?" Cat asked.

I shrugged, "Dunno. Doesn't sit well with her stomach. Get us a bottle and she'll have a glass of white Lambrusco." I said to the server. He nodded his head before walking away.

The conversation was still at a lull when Tori came back. I kept my eyes trained on the menu when the server came with our drinks. He set the glass in front of Tori and she squealed in delight after taking a sip.

"Oh my God, this is my favorite." She gushed. I could feel the blush spreading across my cheeks. I shouldn't have ordered that for her. I could feel Cat's stare from my left and Leila's confusion from my right. I reached under the table and placed my hand on Leila's knee, giving it a gentle squeeze before looking up at her and giving her a wink. I felt her body relax as her hand covered my own and squeezed back.

Aside from that little blip, dinner went smoothly and before I knew it, we were walking down the street to the club where the guys were already waiting for us. Andre's mere presence allowed us to skip the queue as we walked into the building packed with sweaty bodies and bursting with loud music.

We got a table in the back that was slightly quieter so we could actually maintain conversation. Leila was on one side, having a very animated conversation with Andre, while Cat sat on my other side making eyes at Beck. I slipped my arm around Leila's shoulders and pulled her snug against my side. Her story paused for a moment as she looked at me with bright eyes before leaning in and kissing me.

"You know, it's almost disgusting how cute you two are." Beck commented with a playful grin.

"Could say the same about you two." I shot back as I nodded towards Cat. Beck blushed and smiled.

"You guys always seem so shocked that Jade's in a relationship." Leila said as she looked at all of my friends.

Tori's eyes dropped down into her drink as she bit down on her lip. I felt my heart ache, knowing how much this had to hurt her to see. I shook the guilt away. We were friends, after all, and friends could hang out with their other friend's significant others.

Andre laughed loudly, "Because the only other person that put up with her shit was Beck."

"What?" Leila asked, completely shocked.

I shrugged awkwardly, "Beck and I dated for a while. It was ages ago."

Leila's surprise was almost comical as she stared between Beck and myself, "And you're just...okay with him dating your best friend?"

I nodded simply, "Yeah. They're good together. And obviously, I've found something way better." I said coyly as I leaned in and kissed her.

When we pulled apart, I noticed that our table was one short and watched as Tori retreated back to the bar. I bit down on my lip as I glanced at Cat. Cat shook her head tersely and continued to sip her drink.

"Well, then there was Tori." Robbie commented. He only jumped slightly when he received a sharp kick to the shin from my boot.

"The only other person to call Jade out on her shit in high school." Beck quickly added. I could tell he was trying to cover my ass. Once Tori revealed that she'd be back for an extended period of time, I told Beck and Cat about my slight omission in regards to mine and Tori's past when I told Leila who Tori was.

"I didn't realize the two of you had been so close." Leila said as she looked at me.

I shrugged, "Cat went to Florida for a few months the summer before we all started college. It was either hang out with Tori, or Robbie." I said, ignoring Robbie's gasp of insult.

Tori returned shortly after with a tray of shots as she set them on the table.

"What's that?" I asked as I eyed the small glasses.

Tori shrugged, "One of everything, I suppose." She said as she placed a glass in front of each of us. Mine held a slightly darker liquid, though I could easily tell that what Leila had in front of her was tequila. Tori took her seat and counted to three and we all shot our glasses back.

Cat coughed and swore, "I fucking hate gin."

I grimaced as I contemplated the taste in my mouth, "Was that bourbon?"

Leila shimmied in her seat with a smile, "I love tequila!"

Beck laughed at Leila's proclamation, "Yeah. I heard about how you get when you drink tequila."

Leila blushed and I reached over and smacked Beck on the back of the head, "No perving on my girlfriend!"

"Shit, Jade! I was kidding." He said as he raised his hands up defensively.

Leila laughed now as she shimmied stood from her chair, "My turn!" She said cheerily before disappearing into the crowd in the direction of the bar.

I took the opportunity to turn my attention to Cat, "What's your deal?"

She looked at me with those big brown eyes, "What do you mean?"

"Don't bull shit me." I said, giving her a pointed look.

Cat sighed as she looked around the table to see no one paying extra attention to us, "I'll tell you tomorrow, okay?"

Reluctantly, I nodded my agreement. After all, a crowded club was probably the last place we should be having any kind of conversation, especially if Leila had been right about her assumption that something had happened between Cat and Tori.

Leila returned with another tray, this one lined up with all tequila shots. I groaned as she set it down and gave each of us one.

"You're going to get yourself into trouble here, Fitz." I said as I accepted the one she gave me.

"Counting on it." She said with a flirty wink before beginning the countdown.

Once the glasses were emptied and slammed back down onto the table, Leila reached out for my hand and tugged, "Dance with me." She said. I rolled my eyes, but allowed myself to be dragged onto the dance floor, deep into the throngs of dancing bodies.

Leila wasted no time in pressing her backside against me and moving with the beat. My hands gripped her hips as I did my best to keep my cool and ignore the burning feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. Three songs and nine minutes of agonizing torture courtesy of Leila Fitzpatrick later, we returned to the table sweaty and thirsty. Beck offered to get the next round and he rallied Andre to help him.

They returned with another round of tequila shots and each of our own drinks of preference.

I eyed Beck, "Are you trying to pull something here?" I asked with narrowed eyes.

Beck looked at me, feigning innocence, "I have no idea what you could possibly mean."

Leila downed her shot and snatched mine before I had a chance and gave me a devious smirk once both glasses were emptied. She then took a drink from her beer before shimmying closer to me and placing her lips just beneath my ear.

My body shivered involuntarily as I looked back at Beck, "Pervert."

Beck laughed raucously as he lifted his beer, "Cheers, Jade."

I rolled my eyes, though clinked the necks of our bottles together before taking a deep drink.

A few conversations later, I was excusing myself to the restroom, threading through the crowds until I made it to the back hall. I had been washing my hands when Leila came bustling through the door. She gave me a drunken grin.

"Hey." She said as she took a step closer to me, her hands splayed on my stomach as she pushed me backwards against the sink.

"Hey yourself." I managed to say before she claimed my lips in a rough kiss as her hands trapped me on either side. My fingers threaded through her hair as I allowed this rather inappropriate public display of affection go on. I felt her hands slide from their position on the sink to my sides, slipping underneath the fabric of my shirt. It wasn't until her fingers dipped beneath the waist of my jeans when I pushed her away slightly.

"I'm not fucking you in a public bathroom." I whispered as I kept our lips close.

She smiled before kissing me and I suddenly felt the button on my jeans release as the door opened behind her.

"Shit! Sorry." A familiar voice said before all three of us froze.

"Fuck." I said as I pushed Leila away as she tried to fix her obviously messed up hair and swiping away at the excess lipstick that had been transferred between the two of us. I quickly buttoned my jeans and pulled down my shirt from where it had ridden up my stomach.

We stood in an uncomfortable silence before I cleared my throat, "Well, this is pleasantly uncomfortable." I said. It broke the tension as the three of us burst out laughing. Well, Leila burst out laughing. Tori and I did our best to seem convincing. Though I could see the pain in her eyes, and I'm sure she could see the guilt in mine. I put my hand on Leila's lower back and led her out of the bathroom.

"Sorry bout that." I said as I walked by.

We made it back to the table, visibly flustered, and before Leila even sat down, I grabbed her bag and handed it to her, "We're going to head out." I said hurriedly, ignoring the obvious looks I was getting from my friends.

"Have fun." Beck called out after us in a singsong voice. I flipped him off over my shoulder and continued to lead Leila out of the club.

* * *

The next day, Leila returned to her apartment to spend some time with Emma while I showered and met Cat at our usual diner.

"So, you wanna tell me why you were all pissy yesterday?" I asked as I took a large bite out of my sandwich.

Cat shook her head "Tori really fucking pisses me off sometimes." She said.

My eyes grew wide. Cat rarely swore when she was dead sober. Drunk Cat and Hungover Cat cursed like a sailor, but I could easily see that Cat was neither of those things. So this must've been serious.

"Care to elaborate?"

"She told me what happened between the two of you yesterday." Cat said, her eyes meeting mine.

I felt myself blush, "Oh."

"You need to tell Leila what happened between you and Tori in high school. This is fucked up, her not knowing, and all of us playing this game like you and Tori were just the best of friends. It's bull shit, Jade."

I hung my head, "I know, and I will. After last night, I realized that there isn't a good enough reason for her not to know anymore. I mean, she knows about Beck now. I just didn't want to have that whole ex-relationship conversation."

"You and Tori didn't actually date." Cat commented.

"How else would you explain it, Cat?"

Cat looked at me for a moment before nodding her head, "I guess you're right."

"I will tell her, I promise. But that doesn't exactly explain why you're mad at Tori." I said, redirecting our conversation back to its original point.

Cat sighed, "Don't be mad, okay?"

I felt my blood run cold. I fucking hated when people started conversations like that, "I make no promises."

Cat looked at me as if she had been anticipating that kind of response, "Tori told me she was coming back to tell you how she felt about you."

My eyes narrowed, "When was this?"

Cat looked down guiltily, "The day you took Leila on your first date."

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"She texted me saying she was coming home to tell you, and I told her not to. I told her that you were finally letting yourself be happy again and that she had fucked it up too much to fix it. I don't think she realized how serious you were about Leila, so when she came back again, she thought that you seeing her again would fix all of that. That's why she left for New York after that night at Roscoe's. She said the way your eyes lit up when Leila was brought up in conversation was the way she imagined her eyes lit up when she talked about you in New York."

My blood was almost boiling at this point. I was hardly upset that Cat kept this bit of information from me. If anything, I should be thankful. I was pissed that Tori thought she could just come around and change everything. Like I just spent years waiting for her to come back to me. Well, I suppose I had, but that was before I met Leila.

"I told her to cut it out and just let you be happy, like you let her when she went to New York. At first she said she'd leave it, but when I came by yesterday I knew she hadn't. I knew she had said something."

I shook my head, "I gotta go." I said as I stood, tossing twenty dollars on the table, more than enough to cover both of us.

"Where are you going?" Cat asked frantically.

"I gotta see Leila." I said quickly before snatching my bag and making my way out of the diner.

I hailed a taxi and gave him Leila's address. In minutes I was pulling up to her building, debating whether or not I'd go through with this. The truth changes things, and right now things were perfect. Could things get better? Or would this just destroy us?

Luckily, a man had been walking up and unlocked the door as I got out of the taxi. I called out for him to hold the door, which he politely did. I bounded up the four flights of stairs and stood outside her door breathless for a moment before knocking.

She opened the door and I had to stare in awe for a moment. She had been wearing a simple white tee and a pair of red boxers. Her hair was piled in a knot on top of her head and a pair of thin-rimmed black glasses were perched on her nose. Her face was free of any makeup and her eyes shined when she realized it was me.

"I didn't know you wore glasses." I said stupidly as I caught my breath.

"Jade, what are you doing here?" She asked with a smile.

I shook my head, unable to form words, and instead relied on something else to convey what I wanted to say. I leaned in and kissed her gently. I nipped her lower lip as I caressed it between my own as my hands cupped her cheeks gently as her hands tentatively rested on my hips. I put as much emotion in that kiss as I could muster, praying that she would understand everything I had been trying to say.

"What was that for?" She asked, confused.

I smiled broadly, "I love you." I said simply, knowing that those three words were not enough for how I felt about her at that point.

Leila's eyes darkened to almost an army green as her grip on me tightened, "Emma." She called out behind her, though her eyes never left mine.

"Already on my way out." Emma said in a bored voice as she walked by us. She gave me a pointed look before shaking her head and laughing, "You two are ridiculous. Shouldn't the honeymoon phase be over already?" She called out over her shoulder as she made her way to the elevator.

"Not yet." I said as I pushed Leila into her apartment and kicked the door shut behind me.

I'd tell her the truth. But right now, I needed her to know where my heart really was.

With her.


	8. Chapter 8

**I was going to torture you guys and make you wait another week before posting the new chapter, but I received so many reviews and kind words, I had to cave in. I understand a lot of the frustration with the lack of Jori, but it will come. I wanted to keep this story going, and didn't want to fall in that flux of the cliche where the story would be over before it really started. Bear with me, friends. Thanks so much for all the input you've given! It's more than appreciated.**

* * *

"As much as I love this spontaneous side of you, is there a reason you came over for surprise sex?" Leila asked as we lay tangled in her bedsheets.

I let out a sigh as I kept my eyes trained on the ceiling, "I just wanted to see you."

Leila's weight shifted and I could feel her eyes on me, studying me in that way that only she could, the way that could unnerve me and cause me to spill out all of the things I had spent years hiding. Her hand ghosted across my arm until her fingers laced with mine and softly squeezed.

"Don't do that." She said in a soft voice.

"Don't do what?"

"Hide things from me."

I shrugged, "I'm not."

"Okay, and now you're lying to me." Leila said, frustration seeping through her words. I started to panic. My intention in coming here was not to upset her or make her feel anything but great, and now I had no doubts that I had succeeded in doing both of those things.

"It's...nothing. Really. If it were, I'd tell you." I said, praying that I sounded convincing. But at that point, I'm not sure who I was trying harder to convince.

Leila's eyes searched mine for any indication that I might have been being dishonest, though I'm assuming she found none when she smiled softly and leaned forward slightly, gently pressing her lips to mine in a kiss. She nuzzled her head in the space below my jaw and began lightly tracing her fingers across my arms, raising goosebumps in their wake.

"So... You and Beck, huh?" Leila commented casually.

I laughed loudly, smacking myself in the face with my hand, "I am _so_ sorry about the way that came about."

Leila joined in on my laughter and kissed my collar bone, "It's fine. I just... I did not see that coming at all. You guys are like brother and sister."

"Yeah. I mean, it was all that made sense in high school." I said simply, not bothering to add the _until Tori came along_ at the end. I felt Leila nodding her head against me, "Does it bother you?"

She shrugged, "I thought it would, but you both seem like you genuinely care about each other, and not in the way that would make me jealous, but in a way that makes me more comfortable around him. I don't know if that makes sense. Do you have any romantic history with any of your other friends that I should be aware of?" Leila asked playfully.

I laughed uncomfortably before shaking my head, not trusting any words at that point.

And that was the end of it. Days after that conversation, Leila and I continued to live in our peaceful honeymoon stage, hanging out with her friends when we could, and mine when everyone was available. Things were perfect, and I got the feeling that Leila never needed to know about what had happened between Tori and I back in high school, or the week before Leila and I met.

Until one night when our two groups decided to collaborate at a club. I had a nagging feeling that this wouldn't end well, but I ignored it because Leila was so excited that her friends were meeting mine. We walked into the club to find our two groups already congregated at a large table in the back. We approached with my hand on her lower back and our drinks in hand.

"The lovebirds arrive." Emma said drunkenly as she leaned against Andre. I gave him a wry look and winked filthily as he shrugged with a grin on his face.

We sat around and talked and drank, enjoying the new company while the music pumped around us. There was a small lull in conversation when Robbie decided to speak.

"This is really great." He said with a smile.

"What is, Rob?" Leila asked as she leaned into me and slid her hand down my thigh.

"That everyone's back together. God, I thought after Tori and Jade ended, that would be the end of everything. But it's so great that you guys can put that behind you and hang out like we used to."

I swear to God, the world stopped spinning at that moment. My heart was kicked into overdrive as Leila completely froze next to me. I felt her stiffly pull back from where her body was snug against mine and her eyes appraised me. Guilt consumed my entire being as I fought for the right words to say, but my alcohol consumption rendered me stupid as I sat gaping like a fish while Leila looked at me in disbelief.

"Tori and Jade...?" She trailed off, her eyes never leaving mine.

"Oh yeah, they were crazy about each other, in that totally dysfunctional kind of way. They always thought they were really subtle, but everyone knew even before they told us. And then they broke up when Tori went to New York." Robbie prattled off.

I saw out of the corner of my eye Beck lean over and smack Robbie upside the head while Cat kept her eyes trained on Tori, whose gaze hadn't left her lap since Robbie started speaking.

Leila's eyes were brimmed with tears and for a second, I thought I saw anger flicker in those mossy green eyes, "I'm gonna..." Leila trailed off as she drunkenly stood and made her way to the exit.

"_Fuck._" I hissed as I stood to follow. My eye caught Emma's glare as she shook her head.

"Real fucking smooth, West." She said bitterly. I rolled my eyes and ignored her as I followed after my girlfriend, practically close-lining anyone who got in my way. By the time I busted through the doors, Leila was halfway down the street.

"Fitz! Fitz, wait." I called out after her as I continued my pursuit.

"Leave me alone, Jade." She said.

"Leila, fucking _stop_, okay?" I said firmly.

She paused for a moment and I could feel her hesitation as she rocked on the balls of her feet before turning around, "What?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I wanted to tell you, I just... I didn't know how. She wasn't a part of our lives anymore, and when she came back she just left again and I didn't think it would be an issue. I wasn't anticipating her coming home for the summer. I didn't want to scare you. We've only been dating a couple of months and I didn't want to have that conversation about our past flings. It makes things seem..."

"Serious?" Leila asked with a raised brow.

My shoulders dropped in defeat as I realized there was no way for me to win this argument, "Yeah."

"I've _been_ serious about you, Jade. Since the start. And you... You _lied _to me. Multiple times." Leila said sadly.

I shook my head, "I'm making myself sound like such an ass right now."

"Why didn't you just _tell_ me? That night I found out about Beck. It was your perfect opening."

"There isn't anything worth telling about!" I shouted.

"Stop this, Jade. Just fucking stop this!" Leila yelled exasperatedly, "Stop hiding from me. Just fucking let me in, okay? You've been pushing me away, and I'm so sick of sitting on the sidelines of your life, knowing that there's these little parts of you that I'm not allowed to understand because you're too fucking scared."

"That isn't-"

"Isn't it?" Leila asked simply, cutting me off from speaking before walking away.

"Where are you going?" I called out after her.

"Home. I can't be around you right now." She called out over her shoulder.

"Leila, stop." I pleaded, hating how pathetic I sounded.

"I'll call you tomorrow, but right now I can't look at you." Leila said simply before getting into a taxi and driving off. I stood on the curb cursing myself for being such a coward, and lying to her yet again. I stood in the cold night air as I thought about how simple everything would have been if Tori would have just stayed gone. Or if I had been strong enough to be honest with Leila from the start.

The night's events turned my mood foul, so I shot Cat a text telling her I was leaving before hailing my own cab and going back to my apartment alone.

My bed never felt colder that night as I was forced to come to terms with everything I had been hiding and running from. What was I so afraid of?

Acknowledging the fact that I might still have feelings for Tori Vega.

My sleep was hardly restful as I tossed and turned for the remainder of the night. When the sun started to peek through my curtains, I decided it was as good a time as ever to rise from my faux slumber and begin my day. I slumped off to the shower and stood under the stream of steaming water for at least a half an hour before getting myself ready for the day. I moped incessantly until I knew Leila would have left for class before leaving my apartment and hailing a cab to her place.

Luckily for me, the kid I recognized as her neighbor was leaving just as I pulled up. I called out to him to hold the door for me and slipped by him, giving him a very faint thanks as I jogged up the stairs.

I knocked impatiently on her door and waited a moment before hearing a very distinctive voice yelling, "Don't you fucking dare."

"Open up." I begged.

"How do you even keep getting in here without buzzing?" Emma asked through the door.

"Emma, please." I tried again.

"Fuck off, Jade."

"I know that she isn't even home. I just wanna talk to you."

The door finally opened and I was met with Emma's icy stare, "You fucked up."

I sighed, "I know."

"Kay, bye." She said, trying to shut the door. I stuck my boot-clad foot out to stop her.

"Please. I know it never should have come out that way, and I wanted to tell her."

Emma stopped trying to break my foot off and leaned against the door, "Why should I believe you? Why should _she_ believe you?"

"Because it's complicated, and what happened between Tori and I wasn't a big deal!"

"Seemed big enough to get you to lie about it." Emma said dismissively.

"I'm a shit person, I get that. Leila deserves someone way better than me."  
"Something we both can agree on." Emma said tersely.

"I need your help." I pleaded.

Emma rolled her eyes, though finally allowed me entrance into their apartment. I paced in front of the couch as Emma flopped down and looked at me expectantly.

"You think you she'll actually forgive you?" Emma snapped.

I stopped my movement and looked at her, "You have been waiting since day one for this to blow up in my face."

She shrugged as she kept her mouth shut.

"Why?"

Emma continued her vow of silence as she shook her head and scoffed. The way she responded caused something to click in my mind.

"Oh my God." I said quietly.

"What?" Emma asked, almost nervously.

I looked at her incredulously, "Were you guys..."

"God, no!" Emma shouted, sitting up straight and looking at me as if I'd grown a second head.

My rigid posture didn't falter for a second, "But you love her."

She scoffed, "Of course I do, she's my best fucking friend."

"Not what I mean." I commented plainly.

Emma blushed slightly before shaking her head, "No, Jade. I don't feel like that for her, but I know how she feels about you. Leila falls hard and fast. It's safe to say she's had these feelings for you for a fucking long time, long before either of you said it to each other. So excuse me for being a bit protective when my best friend gets her heart shattered."

I let out a sigh, wondering how everything got so fucked up so quickly. Leila and I were blissfully happy, and I'm aware that things couldn't stay that way forever, but it was my fault that it fell apart. Because I was scared. Because I didn't want Leila to know that Tori ever had that kind of hold over me.

"What are you doing here?" I heard a voice say, coming from the door. I turned slowly to see Leila standing there, fuming as she gripped her backpack.

"Leila," I began.

"Why. Are you. Here?" She spoke slowly and with purpose as I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"I needed to talk to you." I tried to sound strong and certain, but I was definitely failing.

"Too bad." Leila said as she walked into her room. I followed behind her.

"Fitz, please." I said, my voice small.

"Jade, honestly, I have no idea what I want to say to you right now." Leila said once she stopped abruptly and turned to face me.

"Just let me explain."

She shook her head, "I don't really think I want to do that either."

"Is this a break up?" I asked incredulously.

Leila shifted her weight on her feet, "I don't know, Jade. Give me some fucking time, all right? You lied to me. You looked at me and lied right to my fucking face. Right now I'm so angry with you, nothing you say is even going to make a difference." She turned and closed her bedroom door behind her.

I stood in the hallway staring at the dark wood for quite some time before finally tearing myself away from my place and walking out of the apartment, not even saying goodbye to Emma.

A week went by and I had yet to hear anything from Leila. My calls went to voicemail, my messages went unanswered. Clint had me take a few days off because of the foul mood I had been permanently placed in, so I had nothing to distract me. My apartment was daunting as I flopped around from couch to bed and back, trying to find something to occupy my time and attention.

I awoke one evening with a start, my phone beeping obnoxiously next to me. I checked the screen and saw a message telling me to go to this club all of us use to go to before Vega left for New York because they never carded and had cheap drinks. I grimaced at the thought of visiting an old haunt, but craved a night of getting fucked up and not caring. I checked the clock. It was nearing on ten o'clock. Christ, I had slept away almost the entire day.

I punched a quick agreement and hit send before peeling myself off of the sofa and making myself as presentable as possible in my time limit and left my apartment. Once outside, I hailed a cab and gave the address of the club to the driver. The journey left me wondering what I was doing, but knowing that very little else made sense to me anymore.

Walking into the dimly lit building, I was flooded with a slew of memories. I walked by a table that had previously been broken when Trina decided she wanted to be like Coyote Ugly and jumped up on the table with a bit too much force. I passed the hall where Vega and I had snuck many times to steal sloppy, drunken kisses with her hands up the front of my shirt. I smirked when I remembered how filthy drunk Vega was, and how little she cared about being caught. It was too bad I couldn't have kept drunk Vega around at all times.

I stood at the bar and ordered my drink as I remembered a night where Tori and I had gotten into a pretty horrible fight at the club. I had seen Vega dancing with some Northridge guy and got way too upset, considering the fact that we never officially dated. I wound up storming out of the building, only to be followed by Vega where we had a very public argument. That was the night she told me she got into NYU. And that she was going.

Soon I was holding my drink and making my way through the crowd until I saw a familiar face.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" I asked as I slid into a booth across from Vega.

Even in the low lights, I could see the blush spreading on her cheeks, "Yeah."

"So. What are we doing _here_, of all places?" I asked as I gestured to the people around us. It was obviously still a hang out for underagers with bogus IDs.

Vega shrugged, "I didn't really want to run into anyone."

I nodded, "Sounds very you." I said, managing to keep any malicious intent out of my tone.

"How's Leila?" Vega asked, and I could see the distress in her eyes.

"She won't speak to me. I don't even know if we're together right now." I said simply as I sipped on my drink.

"You never told her about us." Tori stated.

I shook my head, "Nope."

"Why not?"

Shrugging, I took a deeper drink as I realized Tori wanted to have a serious conversation, and that this meeting was about more than just getting fucked up, "I didn't want her to know."

Tori rose a brow and looked at me pointedly, "That your real reason?"

I bit my lip, knowing she was right, "I don't know anymore."

"She'll come around. I mean, _you_ should have told her, but it isn't like you know everything about all of her past relationships." Tori reasoned maturely.

I nodded as I began drumming my fingers on the countertop. Quickly, Tori's hand covered my own and I remembered how badly it use to irritate her when I'd do that. My lips quirked in a smirk as I looked up at her flirtatiously. She matched my grin and squeezed my hand gently. Realizing what was happening, I pulled my hand back and shook my head.

"Right." I said, nodding my head once, "Shots, then?"

Vega gave me a large, genuine grin before jumping up and making her way to the bar. She returned shortly with a tray of eight shots and I groaned as I realized what she wanted to do.

"I thought we were over the four shots in a row." I said dramatically.

That famous summer before Vega left for school, the two of us developed this little game. Well, it was hardly a game. It was more of just a thing that we did together. We'd each get four shots; two of them would be my favorite and two would be Tori's. We'd line them up alternate between the two types and slam them back as quickly as possible. It seems so stupid now, but I remember getting so ridiculously happy when she would approach me with our tray of eight. It was something we only did with each other. It's also quite disgusting alternating between whiskey and Jaeger.

"Just like old times." She said hopefully as she placed the tray down in between us.

I let out a sigh and shook my head, "Fuck it. Just like old times."

Once the eight glasses were face-down on the tray and we were grimacing with disgust, Vega laughed, "I forgot how much I hate Chivas."

"That's because you have no taste." I said playfully as I sipped my drink.

Vega looked at me pointedly, "I don't recall you ever complaining about my taste." She said suggestively.

I narrowed my eyes and smirked as I leaned forward, "Bitter." I said simply.

Vega looked confused, "What?"

My tongue darted out and moistened my lips as I deliberately teased her, "That's how you taste."

I anticipated seeing Vega flinch with discomfort. She had always hated talking about dirty things, especially in public. Instead, she matched my devious look and bit her lip, "Well, you are what you eat, aren't you?"

I had been completely caught off guard by her comments. I reeled back and stared at her with wide eyes before shaking my head and laughing, "You're filthy."

Vega joined in my raucous laughter, and for a moment I forgot about my angry girlfriend, and that the girl sitting across from me was why Leila was so upset with me. I offered to buy the next round, and returned shortly with eight more shots, set up just the same as before.

I took my seat shook my head, "If we're going to be friends, then we're going to be _friends_. Got it?" I asked sharply.

Vega looked taken aback by my sudden change in demeanor, and managed a nod.

I took a long drink from my glass, only grimacing slightly on the burn of the alcohol, "No more jabs about who we used to be together. None of these cryptic conversations about feelings neither of us had the balls to rightfully acknowledge before. Okay?"

"Okay." Vega agreed with a nod before silently nodding to the line of shots. We finished them quickly, and suddenly Vega was standing up. I panicked for a moment that I had really offended her and that she was leaving. Instead, she stuck her hand out and looked at me with as smile, "Come on, then."

"What?" I asked as I stared at her outstretched hand.

"Dance." She stated.

I shook my head, "What did I just get through saying?"

Vega rolled her eyes, "Friends dance all the time. Stop being a pussy."

I growled at her insult as I stood and allowed her to drag me to the dance floor. She was right. Friends danced together without it being weird or making one party feel guilty. So I allowed it as I watched her body move to the music and I did my best to let myself go. A song or two later, my eyes were closed as I allowed myself to give over to the beat. The alcohol had my head swimming as sweat beaded on my skin. I felt a pair of cold hands on my waist and my eyes snapped open to see Vega smiling at me innocently.

"It's okay." I watched her lips form the words but couldn't quite hear her voice. I allowed her to pull me closer to her as my hands slid over her shoulders, never missing a beat as our bodies moved in sync. I dropped my head back as I continued to sway and didn't flinch when I felt warm lips dancing on the skin of my neck. I allowed them to trail up the column of my throat and slowly claim my lips. This kiss was much different than the last one we shared. It wasn't sloppily pressed up against the bathroom door. Well, the location wasn't much different, but the feeling of her softly caressing my bottom lip as she gently traced circles on my lower back gave me the kinda chills I remember her eliciting from me all those years ago.

I allowed her to deepen the kiss as we continued to dance, though when I felt her teeth nip at my lip, I pulled back and stared at her lust-filled eyes.

"We should leave." I said simply. Vega nodded furiously before allowing me to lead her out of the club and into a taxi. We stumbled up the stairs to my apartment and before I could put the key into the lock, Vega spun me around and pushed me against the wall before claiming my lips in a heated kiss.

"Keys." She ordered. I surrendered the keys over to her and listened as she unlocked the door and maneuvered me inside.

"Friends don't kiss like this." I admonished halfheartedly.

Vega shook her head as she threaded her fingers through my hair, "We don't know how to be friends."


	9. Chapter 9

**I have a legitimate reason for the delay this time! I just recently moved into a new apartment and it took a while for me to get the internet set up. Regardless, I really appreciate all of the feedback you guys have given me with these last two chapters, and the outrageous amount of support as well.**

**You see, I started this story without the big picture in mind. I had mapped out what I thought I wanted to happen. What I had intended to happen. What I hadn't intended happening was falling in love with Leila's character like some of you have as well. And that in itself is so amazing and hearing so many people liking Leila as much as they do makes me swell with pride in knowing that I created her. This would be so easy if I had made Leila's character unlikeable or shady in any sense of the word. Unfortunately, I had created a character that hurt me to hurt. I've found myself wanting to defend her and defend my choice to keep her in the story. Which I'm going to do, because without her, Jade isn't going to achieve the growth that she needs. The growth that I didn't know she needed until halfway through the fourth chapter.**

**I'm not saying that this is veering away from being a Jori story. It most certainly is a Jori story, but I am taking my sweet time in getting to that point because I'm enjoying Jade's growth. If you aren't, then I'm sorry that this isn't what you wanted. If you are, well, I truly hope I'm doing it justice.**

**Alas, I love you all. I hope this was worth the wait, and I'm hoping to update again by mid-next week.**

* * *

I woke the next morning with a terrible hangover and a bad taste in my mouth that wasn't just from dehydration. Rolling over, I saw Vega sleeping soundly next to me. Fuck. Well, that never should have happened.

Once we had made it safely in my apartment with the lock secured, Vega had showed me all the things she learned while in New York. I had to pretend that the thought of someone else touching her didn't make me sick.

Hours later found us lying in a heaping mess of heaving chests and sweaty limbs as Vega ran her fingers through my hair as my head rested in the crook of her neck.

"I love you, Jade." I heard her whisper.

I pretended to be asleep.

And now I was watching her as she slowly woke. The way her eyelashes fluttered ever so slightly. The adorable tired confusion etched on her face as she realized she hadn't woken up in her own room. The smile when her eyes rested on my face.

"Morning." I said quietly.

She nodded her head and bit down on her lip.

"Sleep well?" I asked, feeling slightly awkward now.

"Yeah. Someone ensured my complete and utter exhaustion." Vega said playfully.

I smiled, though I couldn't fight the guilt that expanded in my chest. She must have picked up on it quite quickly because suddenly her eyes were filled with sadness.

"So what happens from here?" Vega asked as she tugged the comforter up to her chin.

I rolled over and sat up, dangling my feet over the edge of the bed as my back faced her, "I don't know."

"You love her." Vega stated.

I let out a short laugh through my nose, "Yeah. I do."

"I missed my chance, didn't I?" She asked sadly.

I shook my head before standing and snatching up clothes from my floor to put on, "I don't know what you want me to say, Tori."  
"I don't even know what I want to hear at this point." I turned to watch Tori slowly shake her head as she fixed her eyes on my comforter.

"We _can_ do this, can't we?" I asked. Vega looked up at me confused, and I realized I'd probably need to explain further what I meant, "Be just friends?"

Tori bit her lip and shrugged, "I don't know, Jade. Maybe it's best if we stay away from each other for a while, though."

I hadn't expected that kind of response. Honestly, from where I stood, I wasn't sure what I was expecting anymore. I guess that was a trend with the three of us. We were all in unknown territory, where we weren't really sure of anything. I had no clue if my relationship with Leila even existed anymore, and wasn't sure if it would survive her knowing I slept with Tori again in the midst of all the chaos. At the same time, Tori wasn't really regaling me with her romantic confessions of her love for me and how she wanted me to be with her and not Leila. In fact, she was doing quite the opposite at the moment.

Tori stood and dressed herself, "It's for the best, Jade. Do what you can to get her back." She said softly before kissing my cheek and leaving my room once fully clothed. I stood, bewildered as to what had just happened. My body stayed rigid until I heard my front door close, and even then, I simply flopped back down onto my bed and wondered when my life got so complicated.

The day Tori Vega sang at that stupid fucking showcase, that's when.

In all honesty, I probably could have laid there all day, wallowing in my own self pity, had my phone not started ringing. I rolled off the bed and blindly reached for my phone from my night stand.

"Hello?" I answered gruffly.

"Well, someone sounds hungover. Where were you last night? We were all at Roscoe's and no one could get a hold of you." Cat said cheerily.

I groaned, "I fucked up."

"Jade, what happened?" Cat asked almost frantically.

"I slept with Tori."

There was a pause of silence.

"Did you hear me?"

"I must not have because I thought I heard you say that you slept with Tori." Cat said, already sounding irritated.

I rolled my eyes, knowing Cat was going to play a game like this when I told her, "You heard right."

"What the fuck, Jade?" Cat exclaimed.

"Stop yelling." I groaned dramatically as I clutched my head with my empty hand.

"You're an idiot."

"I know."

"How is fucking Tori going to win Leila back?"

I ran a hand through my hair, "Leila won't talk to me. She doesn't want to be with me anymore. I just don't get it. She didn't freak out like this when she found out about Beck. It doesn't make sense."

"Jesus-I'm coming over." Cat said sharply.

"No, Cat, that isn't-"

And the line went dead.

I dropped back onto my bed and thought about the reaming Cat was going to give me once she got to my apartment. She was really going to let me have it for this one, and there was no way I could charm my way out of this conversation, so I finally dragged my sorry ass out of bed and walked into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. As soon as I had a steaming mug in hand, I sat lackadaisically on the couch, waiting for Cat.

I had been dozing off slightly when the door burst open and Cat came bustling in. I jumped up, glad I had set my coffee down before my head dropped back against the couch.

"Fucking hell, Cat." I growled as I let out a yawn.

"Oh no. You don't get to be angry right now." Cat scolded.

I looked up at her, my brow knit in despair, "I know I fucked up, Cat. I'm well aware."

"How did this happen, exactly?" Cat asked, abandoning her previous anger for the time being as she sat next to me on the couch.

So I walked her through the relatively strange night I had the night before. When I told her where Tori had asked to meet me, she scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Of course she'd ask you to go there. That obviously should have been your first red flag telling you _not_ to go. I can't believe she'd have the audacity to ask you out."

"We promised each other we'd still be friends." I argued.

"Yeah, I get that. I'm talking about after what happened between you and Leila. She was part of the whole reason you two fell out. Doesn't she feel guilty?" Cat asked in disgust.

I looked at Cat in confusion, "What does she have to be sorry for? I'm the one that fucked up. I'm the one that didn't tell Leila who Tori really was before she even came back."

"Yeah. You are. And fucking Tori definitely is not on the list of the Top Five Things to do to Get Your Girlfriend Back. You know, for someone who's so smart, you're a real idiot sometimes." Cat said as she stood and stormed into the kitchen.

"Hey, I did everything I could to get her to talk to me. What else am I supposed to do?"

Cat froze from digging through the fridge and turned to me, "That's it." She said.

"What's it?" I asked slowly, not liking the look of determination Cat was now wearing.

Instead of answering me, Cat whipped her phone out of her pocket, tapped a few times on the touch screen, and put it to her ear, "Leila, thank God you answered." She said after a moment of silence. I looked at her aghast as she quickly put a hand up to silence me.

"No, nothing's wrong. Well, I mean, I guess not. I just...Beck and I got into this huge fight and I don't know what to do." Cat said, sounding shockingly convincing that she really was distressed.

I watched her as she listened to Leila speak.

"Jade? I... No one has really been able to get ahold of her lately. You know how she is; stubborn cow." Cat said, now chewing on her lip and ignoring my glowering look.

There was a tense moment of silence before Cat perked up and smiled brightly, "You'll meet me? Oh great. Yeah, that café sounds perfect. Thanks, Leila, I really appreciate this." She said before hanging up the phone and looking at me smugly.

"Oh, so lying to Leila is going to get her to talk to me? The second she sees me in that café, she's going to split."

"It's worth a shot, and it's better than you sitting on your ass destroying yourself over this. I know she said she needed time, but you guys need to fix this so you can either move forward together, or move on separately. It isn't fair for her to keep you on like this. Now hurry up, she'll be at the café in twenty."

I let out a sigh before reluctantly agreeing to this little ambush we had set up, "I don't agree with what you did, but I guess I don't really have much of a choice. She's gonna be pissed." I said before slinking off to the shower. Once I felt that I had scrubbed the previous night from my skin, I emerged from the steaming bathroom wrapped in a towel and padded into my bedroom. An outfit had already been laid out, courtesy of Cat, and I rolled my eyes with a smile as I pulled on a fresh pair of underwear and a bra before tugging the tan jeans over my legs. I walked to my full-length mirror as I began buttoning up the denim button-down, and cuffing the sleeves halfway up my forearms. I tousled my wet locks and decided to go for the natural look. In reality, I was far too nervous to waste time blowdrying my hair and putting on makeup. I doubted I had a steady enough hand for it.

I walked back into the living room to see Cat sitting on the phone, "Yeah, she's going. I know, but I'll jump off that bridge when I get to it." She had been saying into the receiver before noticing my presence. She quickly said her goodbye and hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" I asked warily as I dug a pair of boots out of my closet.

"Beck. Just filling him in on the situation." She said casually before standing up and appraising me.

"Right." I said as I tugged the boots onto my feet. I straightened up and grabbed my bag, "If this all goes to shit, it's your fault." I said before opening the door and ushering Cat out of my place.

"Don't I know it." Cat said almost under her breath. I gave her a strange look before her eyes met mine and she spoke again, "You _are_ going to tell her about Tori, aren't you?"

I'm sure I looked surprised, "Of course."

Cat nodded, "Good."

Once the lock was secured, Cat and I took the elevator down and said our goodbyes on the sidewalk. She got into a taxi and drove off while I made my way the four blocks down to the coffee shop where my maybe-still girlfriend would be waiting, though not for me.

When I finally stood outside the building, I took a moment to calm my pounding heart as I wiped the sweat from my palms onto my jeans. I sucked in a deep breath before opening the door and walking into the building. I ordered my usual black coffee from the barista, as well as a small raspberry chai tea latte for Leila, as a pathetic attempt for a peace offering. With both drinks in hand, I quickly scanned the area before finally seeing the back of Leila seated at a table in the far corner. On shaky feet, I walked slowly up to her. Before making my presence known, I set the drink down in front of her.

"Cat, come on-" She began before turning to see me as I walked around and sat across from her.

She stared at me blankly with an open mouth before scoffing and shaking her head, "I should've fucking known." She said before trying to stand up. I reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Please, Leila. You've put me on ice for the last two weeks. Just _talk_ to me. Don't I deserve that much?" I practically begged.

Halfway between sitting and standing, I watched as Leila flirted with my plea. I thought she was going to leave when she pried my hand from her wrist. Instead, she slumped back down onto the chair and took the drink I had bought for her.

"Can't let the latte go to waste." She said simply.

We sat in a somewhat awkward silence for a moment as I debated on the best way to begin this conversation. I might as well bite the bullet and get the worst over first.

I took a deep breath, "I slept with Tori."

Leila looked at me, and if there hadn't been fire in her eyes before, there surely was now, "Of course you fucking did. Didn't take you long to jump on that, did you?" She practically sneered.

I spoke in a low voice, "That is not even fair, Leila. You have been ignoring me for _weeks_ now, giving me no indication as to where we were left. You practically _dumped _me without even hearing the truth. I have apologized hundreds of times for keeping it from you. It hadn't been done maliciously, and I can't take back the fact that I was a fucking coward, but I'm trying to be honest with you now."

"Oh, honest, huh? How about you tell me what actually happened between you and Tori because I've heard so many different versions, I don't know what to believe." Leila said.

"Tori and I _were_ together, okay? Things were messy and complicated, and it never fucking made sense, but we kept coming back to each other."

"I knew it. I knew there was something between the two of you." Leila said, clearly fighting back tears.

"Leila, please?" I whispered before continuing, "I was pissed off the summer after we graduated because she didn't want people to know about us, and then she told me she was going to NYU. So, I basically told her to fuck off.

I hadn't seen her in three years, and then one night she shows up in my bar. It was her birthday, and she had a couple of her friends from New York with her. We...we wound up kissing that night, and then she got sick, so I took her back to mine to make sure she'd be okay. She freaked out when she woke up the next morning and fucking left me. Went back to New York that same day. Then...I met you." I said meekly.

Leila scoffed and rolled her eyes, "That's fucking great. I was just a rebound, then?"

"Obviously fucking not since I asked you on a date the second day I knew you." I snapped, my voice rising slightly.

"That hardly explains anything, Jade."

"I was so fucking hurt," I said through clenched teeth as I stared into the dark abyss of my coffee mug, "I let myself need someone and she fucking shattered me. She shattered me three years ago, and she did it again when she came back. And then I met you, and I finally felt like I found someone that wouldn't break me if given the chance. It scared the shit out of me. I didn't tell you about her because she wasn't apart of our lives anymore."

"Then why didn't you say something when she came back?"

"Because I don't know anything about any of your exes. I wasn't aware that we were supposed to lay everything out on the table." I said calmly, my eyes finally meeting hers.

"Well, here you go: There's Ricky from my junior year of high school. He played basketball and had a slight overbite. Then Johanna when I first moved out here. She was a film major and made a mean mojito." She answered with a bite.

I shook my head, "Leila, this doesn't fucking make sense to me. Do you remember what you did when you found out about Beck? You...you laughed! Then spent the entire night alternating between fucking me and making jokes about Beck's fucking hair." I said, exasperated.

She rolled her eyes, "I practically drank half a bottle of tequila that night. Besides, there clearly isn't anything left between the two of you." Leila said sharply.

"There isn't anything between Tori and I." I argued, knowing that it was only a half-truth, but knowing more that maybe one day it could be a complete truth.

"Sure about that?" She asked, giving me a pointed glare.

"It was a fling at best. It was too much, too quickly, and entirely all physical. We just... We hadn't gotten that closure. We never got to hash out the bad shit between us because I refused to see her before she left and then shut her out when she'd come back for breaks. That night was a fluke. We just reverted back to the only way we knew how to comfort each other."

Leila looked at me with conflict shining in her eyes, "Why should I believe any of this, Jade?"

I looked at her and let out a sigh before shaking my head and dropping my eyes to my clenched hands around my mug, "Fine. Don't. I just couldn't let you walk away without giving you my explanation for everything."

I anticipated her leaving me there in the café. I half-expected to get a lap full of latte and a quick slap across the face. Instead, I heard Leila let out a soft sigh before saying my name in the most gentle voice I think I've ever heard her use.

"Jade, look at me." She instructed. Obviously, I obliged with teary eyes. "I just... I don't trust her." She said quietly.

Nodding my head, I took a moment to clear my throat, "Okay."

"And I'm so mad at you for sleeping with her," she said with clenched teeth, "but I'm even more angry with myself for shutting you out. Fucking hell, I feel like I pushed you to her." She said as tears swelled in her eyes.

I shook my head and tried to shush her, "Don't say that. I'm the fucking idiot, here." I said as I tentatively reached out for her hand. I half-expected her to pull away as if I had burned her. Instead, she turned her palm over and gently traced her fingers against mine.

"I really, _really_ fucking missed you." She said as she wiped away her tears with her free hand. I squeezed the fingers in my own and nodded my head.

"I missed you too, Fitz." I said, feeling slightly better when I saw the small smile on her face, "I'm not asking to start over, but I am hoping we can at least move forward. All of my cards are on the table. I have no more secrets." I said.

Leila studied me for a bit and anxiety brewed in my gut. I really wasn't sure how I would handle her telling me she didn't want anything to do with me anymore. But with the turn our conversation had taken, I was hoping that wouldn't be the case.

Before she could give me an answer, I sat up straight and let go of her hand, "That's it."

"What?" She asked, alarmed.

"I'm taking you out tonight. Like a...first date redux."

"I thought you said you weren't asking to start over." She said.

"This isn't a do-over. It's...a new version of the first. An update, if you will." I said, hoping she'd go for it.

She gave me a wry look as she appraised my eager behavior. After what seemed like ages, she finally nodded slightly, "Okay. First Date 2.0. Pick me up at eight." She said before finishing off her latte. My pulse quickened as I watched her stand to leave. She paused from turning away and instead took a step towards me and leaned down, placing a kiss on the side of my mouth, "I really did miss you, West." She whispered before pulling away and leaving me in the café.

So that night, I took Leila out. I pulled out all the stops for it, too. I showed up at her door with a potted orchid, knowing how cheesy she thought red roses were. A taxi took us to this yuppy restaurant a block away from the office where Beck worked. Christ, I was lucky that the owner knew my father, otherwise a place like that requires a reservation a fucking month in advance. We ate comfortably and drank a bottle of nauseatingly expensive wine.

Things weren't back to normal, but it gave me the impression that it was a possibility.

After we finished dinner, we walked through the park by her place. We sat by the man-made pond and listened to the trickling water from the small creek. The night was illuminated by the few light posts around. Luckily they weren't too bright and we were far enough away from the street so we could see a relatively nice view of the stars.

"Why did you say yes?" I asked when there had been a lull in our otherwise casual conversation.

"To coming out tonight?" Leila asked me as she turned her head to look at me. I nodded and she sat thoughtful for a moment, "I needed to."

"But I...I cheated on you." I said, finally admitting to the thought I had been struggling with.

She shook her head, "No, Jade. I don't think of it that way."

I looked at her skeptically, "Then what way do you think of it?"

She shrugged, "We were both harboring some pretty intense feelings for those two weeks. I don't think it would be fair to hold either of us accountable for our actions. I mean, not in the sense of our relationship at least."

My eyes narrowed, "Sounds like you murdered someone." I said playfully, trying to ignore the implication of her statement.

She looked at me sadly, "It would probably hurt you less if I had."

I shook my head, "Don't. Don't tell me about it, okay? Let's just...move past it." I offered as I looked up at the deep blue sky, trying to find Orion's Belt. The thought of her doing exactly what I had done made me sick. I know that makes me slightly hypocritical, but I can't help it. I'm sure she felt the same way when I told her about Tori.

"So we're just going to ignore it?" She asked, sounding slightly irritated.

"No. Not ignore it. Learn from it." I said simply.

"Can we?" She asked. I tore my eyes away from the constellations and looked back at her.

"I think so. We made mistakes. I think the only thing that we can do is learn from them and move on."

Leila's eyes never left mine for a second, and I was beginning to feel uneasy under her scrutiny. When I was about to look away, she leaned in and brushed her lips against mine gingerly. I remained stoic, giving her complete control of the situation. The kiss remained chaste as she pulled away and tucked herself into my side in an attempt to fight the chill of the night.

"Thank you for agreeing to come out tonight." I said as I reveled in the contact that I had been missing so badly.

"Thank you for a wonderful _updated_ version of a date, but you know..." She trailed off and for a moment my heart plummeted and I thought this was when she'd tell me she just couldn't do it, that when she kissed me it all felt wrong, "You didn't have to go through all this trouble."

I literally let out a sigh of relief. Leila looked at me somewhat comically before I blushed and shrugged, "I need to make it up to you, and I'm not saying spending money on you will fix everything I messed up, but I needed you to know that I was willing to make the effort."

Leila shook her head with a soft smile on her face, "You've always been more than willing to make the effort with me. That's why I was so hurt when I found out you lied. I know you're reserved, I get that, and I honestly shouldn't have been surprised or upset to find out that you didn't tell me about an ex. I think it's just because...she's there, you know? She isn't just some name of some girl that broke your heart three years ago. She's a breathing person with a face and I see her. I _see_ her in your life."

"That isn't a problem anymore." I said casually.

Leila looked at me, alarmed, "What do you mean?"

"Tori and I have decided that we need to spend some time away from each other." I offered as an adequate answer.

"Jade, no. You can't not be friends with her because of me." She argued.

I shook my head, "I'm not. I'm doing it for me."

Leila appraised me for a moment, "I don't know if I'm okay with that."

I laughed, "You don't trust her, but you want me to still be friends with her?"

"I just...I don't like the thought of you losing one of your best friends."

"It isn't like that. Tori and I will be fine. She just wants some space." I replied with a shrug. I stood abruptly and reached out for Leila's hand, "Come on, then."

"What?" She asked with a laugh.

"Let's go."

Leila took my hand and allowed me to help her to her feet. I allowed butterflies have free reign over my stomach when she kept our hands clasped as we began to walk.

"Where are we going?" She asked as we made our way out of the park.

"I am going to do the gentlemanly thing and walk you to your door before getting a taxi back to my place." I said.

Leila nodded her head and we continued to walk in companionable silence.

When we made it to her apartment building, we stopped at the front steps, much like our first date.

"Oh no. First Date Redux means you walk me to my _door_ this time." She said with a sly smile.

I rolled my eyes, but obeyed nonetheless. I grew nervous the closer we got to her door and once we were standing beside it, I thought I was going to vomit.

"Well, goodnight then." I said as I awkwardly took a step back.

"Oh, no you don't." She said playfully before grabbing my wrist and pulling me back to her, kissing me fully as her hands wrapped around my neck.

I pulled away first, "Are you sure?" I asked.

She smiled, "I've never been more sure of anything in the last few weeks." She replied before pulling me into her apartment.

Fixing what I broke was going to take some effort, but she was worth it. I knew she was.


End file.
